Snooze You Lose
by Dodden
Summary: Clark and Lois find out things about one another that they didn't know existed. Fresh update as of March 10th
1. Chapter 1

Ch.1

Clark walked down the stairs, dropping his feat heavily on each step as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. It wasn't like him to be so tired, but a long night of listing to Lana whine on the phone was something that even he couldn't endure.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs he had his mind on only one thing, Coffee. In only a white t-shirt and jeans, he sloshed his heavy feet along the floor towards the pot of steaming coffee that seemed to be calling out his name seductively. He went to grab a cup from the shelf, his hand lazy and clumsy. Knocking it around a few times, and finally getting a hold of the handle, he poured a cup of the rich caffeine.

He inhaled its aroma and closed his eyes in delight. Reaching over, he grabbed a spoonful of sugar and dumped it into the cup. Stirring it around slowly, he wiped the rest of the sleep off his eyes with his left hand. He had never been this tired. Stopping his stirring, he moved to put the spoon on the counter, but it fell from his hand as he began to yawn.

Squeezing in a mouthful of coffee, he set down the mug and bent over to get the spoon.

"Nice butt!"

"What?" He yelped, turning around to see who it was. With a half sneer he looked at his complimentary visitor. He didn't need to look; he knew that voice, but the look on her face when his gaze settled upon her was priceless. "Lois." He grumbled, picking up the spoon and placing it on the counter.

"Hey Smallville. Wow, you look tired. Spend all night awake, pining for Lana?"

Clark only responded with a grunt as he took another sip of coffee. He really wasn't in the mood for her usual chop busting so he pulled out the bread and dropped two slices into the toaster. Closing his eyes slightly, he nodded off a little.

"Smallville."

"I don't feel like talking right now." He mumbled, half asleep.

"No. I…"

"What!" He seethed, clinching his eyes tightly shut. "What's so important Lois?"

Lois snorted a little. "Your right hand, farm boy."

"What about my right hand?" He asked, his anger beginning to show. He opened his eyes and looked at his hand. "Oh." He replied, yanking his hand of the top of the glowing red toaster. "That hurt." He said sleepily, to tired too make a big scene in front of her to convince her he was actually hurt.

"Did that not hurt? I mean, didn't you feel that? The toaster was red hot."

Clark really didn't want to come up with a long stupid lie so he just shrugged it off. "My fingers weren't over the elements." He replied turning around to her, coffee in hand.

Lois stared at him strangely, a quizzical look on her face. With a slight shake of her head and a smirk, she took a long sip from her own mug. Swallowing her mouthful, she peeked at him from behind her mug. "So, like I asked before, why are you so tired denim boy?" She added another one of her trademark smirks and took another gulp of coffee. She was wearing one of his flannel shirts again.

Clark groaned a little as he indulged in his own drink. She wasn't giving up. Leaning back on the counter, his right hand with the coffee, his left holding onto the counter, he took another long swallow. That stupid grin, he just wanted to slap it off her. "Lana." He said, bobbing his head down as if he had done something wrong.

"Come on mopes, It's been three months since you ended it, what are still pining over her for?" Lois asked, with a disapproving note in her voice.

"I'm not." He said with another groan. "But, she keeps calling me at midnight to talk my ear off. God knows how I ever put up with that." With a little "hmph" of laughter, he smiled a little. Looking down at his mug, he laughed out loud for a second.

Lois, surprised by his sudden laughter put her drink down the wrong pipe. Coughing, she pounded her chest a little. "What's so funny Smallville, first you're all tired and grumpy, and then you're laughing. This isn't your normal man of emotional steel routine. Are you on drugs?" She asked, her stupid smirk ever the more present. She also had one eye closed, and the other was staring right at him searching for an answer.

"You look better with one eye open. Maybe you should start wearing a patch, sailor." He said with a grin.

"Watch your mouth pal, I told you never to use that word again or-

"Or what Lois, you'll feel the uncontrollable need to put on that outfit and dance for me again?" That last comment made his grin even larger.

Lois just looked at his boyish grin with great distain clearly etched on her face. "Keep it shut Smallville." She said, shooting daggers from her eyes. She brightened up a little as he continued to smile. "So, why were you laughing, what's gotten to that steel armor of yours?"

Clark couldn't help but tell her, he thought it too funny not to share. "Well, I was talking to Lana for about twenty minutes, when I just fell asleep. She was doing all the talking and I was putting in the obligatory "uh-huh" so I couldn't help myself from dozing off. I was almost completely gone into a deep slumber when I heard my name screamed into my ear."

"How long were you out?" Lois asked, interrupting, a sly smile picking up the corners of her mouth.

"Almost a half hour I think." He replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"I always knew that girl was a talker, but thirty minutes without a word from you and she was still talking. That makes even me look good." A throaty laugh escaped her as she finished her coffee and set down on the island counter. "Maybe next time you should just make a pre-recording of your responses and lay the phone down next it. You'd get your sleep without worrying."

Clark finished his coffee, took Lois's cup from the counter and rinsed both of them out in the sink. "Thanks for advice."

"What the hell is wrong with you Kent? First you're taking my cup and washing it for me, and then you're thanking me for my advice. Are you getting soft on me?"

Clark turned his head to look over his shoulder at her. "I would never dream of it….Sailor." His grin was back, but this time his eyes showed a hint of laughter.

Lois came around the island and punched him in the shoulder. The toast popped and she grabbed both slices before he could. "Too slow, Elmer." She barked laughing, her smirk once again making an appearance.

"Hey, you have to give me at least one. I put them in the toaster."

"You snooze you loose Smallville. Better gain some quicker reflexes; I've seen cows move faster than you."

"Hmph, At least a cow listens when you tell her to shut up." He shot back his grin still present.

"Oh, Clarkie, are you gaining a backbone?" She quickly asked, poking his spine with her finger.

Clark jumped slightly at her touch, feeling something sticky back there. He looked at Lois; she was putting jam on her toast. "Noooo." He moaned lightly under his breath. Tucking his arms into his shirt, he turned it around to look at it. Right in the middle of the shirt was a fingerprint made out of raspberry jam. "Lois." He breathed angrily. She was screwing the jam top back on, her back to him, but he knew that she had that stupid grin on her face. Removing his shirt, he turned on the tap to try and scrub out the stain.

Lois finished putting the jam back in the fridge and turned back around to grab her toast. When she turned around she saw Clark with his shirt off, trying desperately trying to remove the stain. She couldn't help but look as his upper body. She stood there for a few seconds her eyes staring lustfully at him. "He is so hard." she said to herself softly, eyes still transfixed on his torso.

"What was that Lois?" Clark asked, his head turning towards her slowly.

"Oh, nothing." She replied. She was lucky enough to get her eyes ripped away from him before he saw her staring at him. "You know that stain won't come out without a good wash."

"I know, but I just put it on and I didn't want to go and change again." He put the shirt down on the counter, slightly frustrated.

"Come on Kent, I'm sure there are some flannel shirts around here you can wear."

"Oh I know there is Ms. Lane." He said sarcastically. "It's just too hot to be wearing flannel right now."

Lois could only agree. The summer mornings were hotter than in Metropolis, something she hated. Luckily the Kents had finally broken down and bought an air conditioner. Something she didn't know she could have ever lived without. Much to Clark's distain though, the air conditioner was just another reason why she wouldn't move out and he couldn't get his room back.

Clark made a move for one of slices of toast. With a quick hand she grabbed his arm just as he picked it up. "They're both mine Smallville, no touch, bad Boy." She said slapping his hand like a child's.

"Stop me." He replied, his voice obviously daring her.

She tried to, but he was too strong. With one good swift movement he lifted his arm up to his mouth and took a healthy bite. Lois still had her hand on his arm, and closed her eyes slowly, feeling his muscles tense as he lifted the toast to take another bite.

"Lois, what in the world is that look?" Clark asked her, snapping her out over her reverie.

"Oh, just me enjoying he air conditioner Smallville." She removed her hand from his arm and pick up her piece of toast. She took a few nibbles, but had a hard time swallowing as she couldn't help but glance over every now and then to gaze at Clark. Regaining her demeanor, she put the toast in the compost pail under the sink and opened the fridge.

Grabbing the Orange Juice, she closed the fridge and put it on the counter. She walked around to the other side of Clark to fetch a glass, but Clark had already grabbed two glasses and was pouring the orange juice in each cup. Lois just turned back around him to grab her glass. "Thank you Smallville." She said.

"For what?" He asked, his grin appearing once again.

"For the gla-." She stopped when she didn't see the glass on the counter. "Where did you put my glass farm boy?" Demanding to know where it was.

"On my left, Lane. You were over there weren't you?"

"Well I guess so." She went behind him to his left side to get her glass. "Hey, where'd you put it?" She yelled, demanding an answer.

"Well, over here of course Lois." He pointed to the right side of him, the glass sitting on the counter. "You were over here weren't you?" His grin broadened as he toyed with her.

Lois stood her ground on the left side of him. "Give that to me now Smallville. I won't ask again." She demanded he give her the glass back, but he denied her.

Without even thinking, he set down his empty glass and picked up hers. He put it to his lips and began to guzzle.

"No!" Lois shrieked, trying to grab it. But he moved it away from his mouth to the right. Quick as cat, she shot around to his right to try and grab it, but he moved it back over to his left.

"Now who's not fast enough?" He barked out in laughter. With a quick movement, he put the glass back to his lips.

Lois shrieked again and rapped her arms around his neck from behind to try and grab the glass. She felt drained of all her energy as he finished the glass. She limply let her arms fall onto his shoulders, exhausted. She could feel his smooth skinned back as she leaned up against him, tired.

"Snooze you loose." He laughed, his grin even wider than before.

She punched him in the back fairly hard, but he didn't even flinch. "What, you made of oak Smallville?"

"What, are you tickling me?" He replied, making fun of her.

"Grrr Smallville, stop it. We need to get to the Talon."

"What, I didn't know we were going anywhere. Why do we need to be there?" He glanced at the clock above the sink. "It's only nine. Plus I have chores to do."

Lois grabbed the juice container and took a good swallow. Putting the top back on the jug, she slid it in the fridge. "Your father did them earlier." She took off across the kitchen floor on the balls of her feet, scooting her way over to the stairs.

Clark watched her scoot off, his shirt flying around on her lithe body. He could hear her yelling at him as she moved up the stairs to her room.

"Move it Smallville, I promised we'd be there by nine."

Clark grumbled loudly as he went in the laundry room. Grabbing a pair of socks, he tossed his soiled shirt in the hamper. The door opened behind him and Lois peeked in.

"You got a shirt in there?"

"No, I don't, but I have one in the loft." He turned around and went through the laundry room door. He watched as Lois went through the door porch first, hair in her trademark morning ponytail. She had her regular jeans on with her light blue tank top, something she always wore when going somewhere casual.

Clark followed suit and jogged through the front door and towards the barn.

Lois started up her car and backed up to the barn, setting parallel to the laneway. "Hurry up Smallville!" She yelled. Her patience was up. She watched as he came running down the loft stairs, dark blue shirt in hand. "Get in farm boy, we're late." She was met with an icy stare.

Clark snorted as he plunged himself into the passenger seat. He looked over at Lois. "What are you staring at?" He badgered her.

"I can't believe you Smallville, you're always making late." Feigning anger, she grumbled, but was glad she was wearing her sunglasses. Clark would squirm uncontrollably if he knew the way she was looking at him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2

"Put your seatbelt on Smallville. I don't want to be responsible for your death if I get in an accident." Lois bugged him as they pulled out the laneway.

"I knew you were a bad driver Lois, but are you admitting it?" Clark looked over at her slyly.

"Not a chance, but I would hate to have to explain to your parents that you were too stupid to wear a seat belt to save your life. Now, put it on or you'll have to get out of the car!" Her voice was demanding and irritating.

Clark grumbled more than once, sliding his seat belt over his shoulder and into buckle. Lois sure sounded more demanding than his mother. How anyone was able to put up with this woman he would never know. "Yes, Mother." The last word came out dripping with sarcasm.

Lois pinched his thigh with her fingers. "Mother huhm? HA! If I were your mother, I'd make sure you had a whole new wardrobe. What's with all the flannel and plaid? I've seen so much flannel since that Al Borland fellow on TV."

Clark didn't really have an answer, but he wasn't about to go down without a fight. "Hey, that was a good show, plus that guy was the competent one. All you're good for is playing the Tool Time bimbo."

"Oh, you didn't just call me that did you!?" Her voice had heavy a mock tone to it. "I'm a bimbo? Come one Smallville, if anything you display those qualities, tall, dumb, bumbling speech around the opposite sex." Her satisfaction with her comeback gave her all the pleasure in the world, especially when she new she had him on the ropes.

Clark sat there trying to think of something to say, but he couldn't think of anything. He squeezed his knee in frustration, his hand tensing up as if his anger began to rise. She could really push his buttons.

"What, you got nothing Smallville? I would have thought you'd have something." Her tone of voice was so condescending she was having a hard time keeping it from cracking. "Come on Smallville don't get all quiet and depressed on me now. I'm tired of talking to a brick wall."

Clark just sat there, ignoring her. He knew that eventually she would get uncomfortable with the silence, so at that point he would declare his victory. She was so predictable in that way.

Minutes passed by as the awkward silence began to build, the tension became almost too much for her to put up with, but she forced herself to stay quiet. She knew exactly what he was doing, and like usual it was working. Looking over at him she tried as hard as he could to keep her mouth shut, but he had his hand hanging outside of the car, and she couldn't resist. "Watch out." She said as she got really close to a mailbox.

"Hey!" He screamed, almost hitting his hand off the mailbox. "What are you doing, trying to break my hand?"

"You're getting quicker, but I'll get you yet."

"I don't think so Lane." He put his wrist on his knee, letting his hand dangle down slightly. "God it's hot. Don't you have any air conditioning in this car?" He was only pestering her, and he knew it would work.

"Are you blind, this a convertible, and hey, I thought you liked the sun?"

"I do, but not this much heat." He looked up at the sky; the sun was bright yellow, bathing the car in its radiance. He could feel his body soaking in all the warmth and energy of it, but the heat was beginning to get unbearable.

Pulling the car onto the main highway into, she noticed that there was a car pulled over on the shoulder just up ahead. "Hmm, that car looks familiar."

Clark peered ahead, his vision bringing the vehicle closer to him. "It's Lex." He said, his voice sounding with a tinge of disappointment.

"He really doesn't have any luck with cars does he?" Lois said, more as a statement than as a question. "I don't see him anywhere."

"No, he's sitting in the driver's seat." Clark said, peering harder.

"Now, how do you know that, Smallville?" Lois asked him.

He wasn't about to tell her he saw through the car, so he made up a little lie. "I can see his reflection in the side view mirror."

Lois slowed down as she got closer, coming up along side his Ferrari. Lex appeared to be asleep.

Clark looked suspiciously at Lex. With a whack of his hand on the side of Lois's car, he tried to wake him, but he didn't budge.

"Hey!" Lois screamed. "Don't you ever hit my car like that!" Her voice was almost shrill.

Lex jumped awake quickly, his head bouncing off the roof. Rubbing it, he looked over at a grinning Clark Kent.

"What in the world are you doing pulled over on the side road Lex?" Clark asked, his grin disappearing.

Lex opened his door and stepped out, stretching his legs. "My car broke down. I phoned my mechanic, but he hasn't shown up yet. Must have fallen asleep. I'm not too surprised; I was on my way into town for some coffee."

"Well, might as well hop in rich boy, we're on our way to the Talon ourselves." Lois really didn't like Lex, just the tone in her voice was enough for anyone to notice.

Lex looked over at the brunette, his eyes staring incredulously at her. Turning his attention to Clark, he frowned a little. "Sour one isn't she?"

Clark nodded his head grinning. He opened the door, got out and pulled the seat forward. Throwing himself on the back seat, he looked over at Lois who seemed to be fuming.

"I'm not sour." She declared. "Just bitter."

Clark grinned at Lex as the wealthy socialite sat down in the passenger seat. "She's always bitter and only sour when she's had too much sugar."

Lois looked back at him with a glare that would scare any man, but Clark wasn't even fazed by it. "We're not all boy scouts Smallville. Some of us don't like the morning." Her head turned back to the road as she took off again.

Clark continued to grin, his knees pressed up tightly against her seat. "Can't you move your seat up a little there, Lois?"

"I can, but I won't." She was trying as hard as she could from turning around and hitting him. He was really starting to bug her. He always found a way to get under her skin.

"Come on, you have to have room up there. My knees are bent like play-do back here." His voice was so mocking that it got a chuckle out of Lex.

"You want me to pull over and let you out?" Lois asked, her voice with no hint of sarcasm in it.

That got a hearty laugh out of Lex, who couldn't help but smile. "You two bicker like a married couple." He continued to chuckle.

Clark watched as Lois looked over at Lex, a deathly stare directed straight at his heart. Clark let out a good laugh along with Lex, but Lois continued to fume as she looked back ahead of her to the road.

They rode the rest of the way into town in silence, the awkward silence driving Lois up the wall.

Pulling up to the street parking spot in front of the Talon, Clark stood on the seat and jumped out.

"Feet off the upholstery, Smallville!" She scowled. "That's it, you don't get ride back."

Clark only laughed, knowing he could always get home before she even got in her car. Wiping his brow with his hand, he stepped up onto the sidewalk.

Lois fished through her pockets for a minute, giving up in frustration. "Anyone have change for the meter?"

Lex looked at her with a grin. "I don't even carry tens on me."

Lois turned around to look at Clark, who stood there, arms crossed, smiling at her. "Don't even make me ask." Her voice was aggravatingly familiar to an angry grandmother's.

Clark just shook his head, fished out a coin and put it into the meter. "You owe me a coffee." He said, as he followed her and Lex into the Talon.

"In your dreams." She quipped back, heading through the door.

The Talon was nearly empty, save for a few people in the corner. His parents were at the counter when they walked up, late as usual.

His dad noticed them first. "You're late, but let me guess, it was Clarks fault?" He chuckled, taking a little sip of coffee.

"He's always holding me back Mr. and Mrs Kent." Lois said. "He just couldn't figure out what to wear. I swear, I think I'm turning him into a girl." Her smile broadened as Martha went behind the counter to pour a few cups.

"Some one decided that putting jam on my shirt was the best way to tell me I should wear a different one." Clark took a cup from his mother. "Plus, we had a stranded motorist who needed a ride." He pointed his head towards Lex.

Lex took a sip of his own coffee and set it on the counter. His phone was ringing. Its ring tone sounded familiar to that of pager beeper. "Hello. Ok." He pulled the phone away from his ear. "Excuse me, I have to take this." Picking up his coffee he walked away, leaving the four of them at the counter.

"So, why did you want us here?" Clark asked.

"Well Clark, your mother has decided to buy the Talon from Lex and Lana."

Lois was shocked. "Wow, congratulations Mrs. Kent. I guess you're my new boss, well not really, you were my boss before."

"Thank you Lois. Don't worry; I'm not a slave driver."

"So, do I still have today off, or does the new owner want me to work?"

"I haven't signed the papers yet, so it's not my decision to make yet.

"What did Lana have to say about this?" Clark asked; interested to know why Lana would sell her share of the business.

His mom wiped off the counter with a cloth. "She said that since she was attending Met-U now, she didn't have enough time to worry about the financial side of owning a business.

"That or she didn't want to have a reason for coming back to the town at all." Lois smirked, staring over at Clark.

Clark just took another sip of his drink, not dignifying her with a response. "You know dad, if you were going to do chores earlier in the morning, you could have woke me up."

"Nah, I didn't want to wake you son. We heard you on the phone late last night, we thought we'd let you sleep in. By the way, who were you talking to so late?"

"Lana." He said, sighing a little.

"I thought you broke up with her months ago Clark?" His mother said, pouring her own cup of coffee.

"We did, but she still calls me, I think she's finding it lonely at Met-U."

"I thought Chloe was there with her?"

"She is, but Lana still has the need to yap about Chloe, and other things she can't talk to her about. She does the talking, I do the Listing."

"More like she does the talking, you do the sleeping." Lois butted in.

Clark gave a slight smile, nodding. "I just don't see how her lab partner's shoe color is that interesting." He finished his cup and put it in the trash. "Problem is I don't want to ignore her. She is still my friend."

"Well son, you're going to have to tell her to call you earlier at night. I can have you doing chores with me while you're dead tired." His father stood up off the stool and grabbed his coat off the counter. "I have to head over to the co-op to pick up some calf starter. I'll see you all home." He kissed Martha quickly and went out to the truck.

Clark looked back over to his mother, who was watching Jonathon leave. "Does the shower up in the apartment still work? I haven't had mine this morning. Someone was in a hurry." He glared over at Lois.

"Yes Clark, it still works. There are some towels, soap and shampoo up there as well. I leave a lot of supplies up there, so they should be around there somewhere."

"Thanks Mom." He said, removing his shirt and galloping up the stairs.

Lois, watched as Clark moved up the stairs, her eyes following his movement with lust.

"Lois?"

"What?" Lois asked, tearing her eyes away from the apartment door to look at Martha.

Martha couldn't help but notice Lois blushing furiously


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Clark leaned into the tub and turned on the shower. There wasn't much pressure coming from the head, but at least it was warm. Closing the curtain, he looked around for the shower supplies. Spying them on top of a box by the door, he wandered over to pick them. Just as he put his hand on the shampoo, he turned quickly. Something had made a noise.

Clark, suspicious, looked around slowly, letting his eyes linger on each spot for a few seconds. Shrugging it of, he reached back, grabbed the soap, shampoo and the towel off the box. He swore he had heard something. Walking over to the tub again he let his jeans fall down along with his boxers. Sliding the curtain over, he stepped into the tub.

The water was warm, and he felt it wash away the sweat that had previously been stuck on his body. Dropping the shampoo on the tray inside, he began to wash himself with the spring smelling soap. His hands stop suddenly. Something was in the room with. "Mom?" He asked, wondering if she had come up for supplies. When he didn't get an answer, he frowned. "Lois?" He asked again, his voice menacingly angry, again, no answer.

Growling a little, he continued to wash himself, keeping his ears alert for any heartbeat. Setting the soap down, he went for the shampoo. As soon as he had his hand wrapped around the bottle, he felt a pair of hands cover his eyes from behind.

"Hello Clark." The voice from behind said.

Clark froze in his place, unable to move. He recognized that voice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lois turned away quickly, feigning a cough, trying to hide her reddening face. Martha didn't just see that, she tried to convince herself. She felt like running out the door in embarrassment, but she couldn't do it, so she continued to cough. Finishing her coughing, she peeked to see if Martha was still looking at her. She was.

"Are you okay Lois?" She asked, shooting a wary glare at her.

Lois coughed a couple more times, prolonging the pain of having to look up at her. Mustering all the courage she had, she stood up straight and looked right at her. "I'm fine Mrs Kent." She said, her throat sore from her forced coughing. "I'm Fine."

Martha stared at her with a curious, but frowning look upon her face. She didn't let her gaze slip from Lois's sight.

Lois looked nervously at Martha as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Plopping down onto one of the stools, Lois rubbed her neck, purposely trying to get out of the gaze of one Mrs. Kent. She wasn't looking her way, but she knew Martha was still staring at her. Not being able to take any more, she turned to look right at her. "What?" She almost screamed.

Martha jumped a little, surprised at her sudden outburst. She watched as Lois lowered her eyes to the counter. With a sigh, she turned around and filled up another cup of coffee, handing it to Lois. "What's wrong dear?"

Lois really didn't want to have this conversation, especially since she had caught her staring at her son. There was no one else to talk to at the moment, well, there was Chloe, but she was no doubt still asleep. Taking the cup, she sighed a little. "I don't know Mrs. Kent. I-I-." her words faulted, scared to tell her.

Martha, now concerned, patted her hand on Lois's. She was trembling a little; her hands were wrapped around the cup. Martha kept her hand on hers. "It's okay Lois; you know you can tell me anything." Her tone was motherly and caring.

Lois let out a big sigh, removing her hands from Matha's touch and bringing the hot coffee to her lips with both hands. Taking a deep swallow, and closing her eyes lightly, she moved the cup back down onto the counter. Her heart was thumping wildly. "It's just, I haven't been with a man in so long." She let out in a wheeze, her heart racing faster than ever before, scared at what Martha might say.

"Oh." Martha replied her eyebrows shooting up in the air, and her eyes widening.

Lois let out a groan, instantly regretting telling her. "I'm sorry Mrs Kent I-."

Martha interrupted her. "It's okay Lois. You just surprised me a little. So, you were saying?" She asked, a little uncomfortable with were the conversation was going.

"Like I said before…" She replied, letting her words fall away. "I dropped out of Met-U six months ago, and that was the last time I've even had contact with someone." She sighed again, letting herself open up a little. "I'm just feeling a little lonely I guess."

"Jonathan and I are always here if you need the company Lois, Clark too."

Lois smiled a little at the mention of Clark's name, blushing slightly. Then she remembered Martha catching her staring at him. "I know you're there for me Mrs. Kent. I consider myself a strong woman, but sometimes even someone like me needs to be held."

Martha smiled politely, her face full of sincerity. "I know Lois; just don't let yourself do anything stupid." Her voice had a motherly tone to it. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

Lois couldn't help but grin. "You know, you sound just like Clark." A little chuckle escaped her mouth. She was always a little annoyed that Clark was so protective, but right now he felt like the only thing in her life that cared about her.

Martha smiled too, the corners of her mouth picking up. "That's Clark sweetie, always over protective of those close to him. He's so much like his father." She finished her own coffee and threw the Styrofoam cup in the trash.

"You know Mrs. Kent; I always thought Clark was just being annoying when he tried to protect me, like a jealous boyfriend or something."

"I know Lois." Martha nodded. "Since Chloe and Lana have been off at school for almost a month, you're the only friend he has in his life right now. He's just even more protective knowing that he doesn't have to worry about more than one or two people he cares about. Plus, now that he and Lex have sort of went their separate ways, I know he really values having you around."

Lois nodded slightly, her thoughts consuming her slightly. "I always figured he resented me for taking his bedroom, it being the reason why we're always bickering with one another."

Martha could see the little twinkle in her eye every time she mentioned Clark. With a smile, she patted her hand softly. "He only gives you a hard time because he knows you hate awkward silences. It's the easiest way to for him to keep it from getting quiet. He's a very considerate young man."

"I'm beginning to notice that." She said, setting her hand on her chin, staring into her coffee.

Martha turned around to pour another cup, her smile even larger than before. "So, what are you up to on your day off?"

Lois hadn't thought about it, her mind on other matters. "I'm not sure; I thought I might go back to the farm and spend the afternoon watching TV. The heat outside is unbearable."

"I know it's hot out there Lois, but you can't spend all day cooped up in the house." She turned around stirring her coffee. "What's Clark up to?" She asked, settling her gaze on Lois as she took a sip of her java.

"I don't know; probably sit up in his loft all afternoon napping. Lana kept him up really late last night."

Martha frowned a little. "I know he still cares for Lana, but I really hope she's not holding him back from moving on. I'd hate to see him start moping and brooding again. Ever since she left he's been happier, spending all his time with you."

Lois tried as hard as she could to keep from smiling; just succeeding enough not to show Mrs. Kent that she was pleased with her compliment. "I think he's moved on, but I don't think Lana has. Now, that is something I thought I'd never say, but it's good to see that he is finally over that little infatuation. He spent so many nights' pining over that woman I thought he would stay like that forever."

"Well, I'm certain that if you hadn't been around to keep him busy Lois, I think he might still be sitting in the loft brooding." An idea popped into her head. "Why don't you and Clark go to the lake for a swim, I'm sure the water will be cool enough."

Lois contemplated the idea carefully. "You know Mrs. Kent, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea."

Suddenly a crash could be heard from the upstairs apartment. Both Martha and Lois glanced up at the door, then back at each other. "I'll go check and see if he's okay." Lois stated, as she left her stool and made for the stairway. Gliding up the steps, she could hear Clark stumble around behind the door. As she reached the top of the stairs, she knocked on the apartment door. "Smallville, are you alright?" Her question went unanswered. With another knock, she opened the door and peeked in. "Smallville?" She asked again.

As she opened the door completely, her eyes stopped searching as she noticed the scene in front of her. Her eyes grew ever wider, and all she could say was. "Whoa Smavillle….whoa."


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

Clark was laying on the floor, naked in all his glory as the water from the shattered tub cascaded around him. He had no clue what just happened, but he was sure of what he heard. "Alicia?" He asked quietly searching the room for her presence. There was no sign of her as he focused his hearing. So intent was he on finding her he barely noticed the door behind was open, and Lois peeking in.

"Smallville!" She said with a little more authority this time.

It ripped his attention from what had just happened. He looked back at Lois, who stood there, eyes wider than cup saucers. With embarrassment taking over, he snaked his hand to the right and grabbed the now disengaged shower curtain. As quickly as he could, he draped it over himself, covering up his shame. Slowly getting to his feet, he looked back at where the tub used be, now nothing but pieces littered across the floor. What had just happened, he asked himself.

He just stood there, continuing to stare at the scene before him, his eyes transfixed on the shower head lying on the ground. Still trying to piece things together, he heard Lois from behind again.

"Are you okay Clark?" She asked, genuine concern etched in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Clark replied, not tearing his eyes away from where the tub used to be.

"What happened?" Lois asked, taking a step through the doorway, surveying the damage.

Clark looked back at her, a concerned note in his voice. "I'm not sure, but I could have sworn someone was in the shower with me." His mind raced, trying to come up with an explanation on what had just happened.

"Who was it?" She asked, coming to stand beside Clark, who had the shower curtain wrapped around him.

Clark could only shake his head in confusion. "I could've sworn it was Alicia."

That name surprised Lois. It was the last person she would have guessed. She was dead, hung by a meteor freak almost a year ago. The things that must be going through Clark's head at the moment she wondered. She was a scared a little herself, but would never admit it. "She's dead though…" her voice trailing off quietly.

Clark still stood there staring, unable to respond. With a finger on his arm, it brought him to respond. "I know, but I swear…" A lump in his throat finished his sentence before his lips could. Emotions came rushing back to him, visions of her hanging from that barn beam made his eyes water.

Lois could see him swallow hard as his eyes began to blur with moisture. She remembered that day well. It was the only time she had seen Clark so angry that it scared her to death. The look in his eyes when he had the murderer in his hands was one of pure evil. It was not just evil, but something deeper, something so evil that it rocked her to the core. From that day on, she never looked at him the same. There was something that was hiding behind that farm boy exterior that frightened her.

Clark swallowed hard again, pushing the lump in his throat down into the emotional vault in his stomach. Ripping his eyes away from what was left of the tub; he walked over and grabbed his towel to dry off. Letting the shower curtain slip away, he began to dry himself. At that moment he didn't care if Lois was there, his mind more preoccupied with other matters.

Lois turned her attention from the tub back to Clark, who was drying himself off, his backside bare, for all to see. "Smallville!" She said, with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. Turning around to stare at the wall, she smiled a little.

"Get over yourself Lois." His voice shot back, with no hint of comedy in it.

Lois felt a little hurt. He had never talked to her like that before. His emotions must be on his sleeve she thought. "I'm sorry Clark, I-."

Clark interrupted her, his voice steady and calm once again. "I'm sorry Lois; I had no right to snap at you like that." Wrapping the towel around his waist, he tried to smile, but failed. Reaching over, he grabbed his boxers and slid them on underneath the towel. With a sigh, he dropped the towel to the floor and put on his jeans. "You can turn back around." He said, grabbing his shirt and slipping it on.

Lois was a little hesitant, but she brought herself together, turning back around see Clark drying his hair with the towel. He had all his cloths on save his socks and boots, both which were lying by the door. The sadness in his eyes made her want to go up and comfort him, but she restrained herself, thinking that he might need some time alone.

"I can go back down if you want to be alone?" She said, silently hoping that he wanted her to stay. Her wish was granted a second later.

"It's fine Lois." His voice had quieted ever so slightly. "I'm just trying to figure out what in the world happened. I was reaching for the shampoo when all of a sudden a pair of hands went over my eyes. Then I heard her voice. I turned around to look at her, but she wasn't there."

Lois tried to get her head around what he was saying, but something didn't fit. "What about the tub, how did it shatter?"

Clark put his hands in his pockets as he moved closer to her, all the while staring at the water on the floor. "I slipped and fell when I turned around to see who it was; I guess I must have hit the tub so hard it broke."

She knew he was telling the truth, but there was an underlying tone to it. He didn't have any injuries or even a scratch on him. Normally she would have badgered anyone to no end to reveal what they were keeping hidden, but it was Clark, and she trusted him.

An uncomfortable silence passed between them as he looked over at her, his eyes searching for answers. Seconds passed by before they heard another voice from behind.

"Lois is Clark…" Martha asked, stopping her question as she took in the sight before her. "…Alright?" She finished a few seconds later.

"I'm fine mom." Clark said, looking over at his mother, whose face was etched with concern.

"What happened, Clark? We heard a crash?" Her voice steadied as she saw that her son was okay.

Clark quickly told her about what happened, and how the tub broke. His voice was getting a little hoarse as he tried not to get emotional. He was still upset about Alicia and how he had treated her. It was something that he could, and never would be able to forgive himself for.

Martha could only listen with surprise. It was a strange tail, but her son was never one to lie. "Why don't we go back downstairs honey, we can talk about it down there."

Clark nodded, but stood still when Lois went towards the door. "I'll be down in a bit." He said. "I'm going to clean up this mess first, and then I'll be down."

Martha nodded back. "Okay Clark, we'll be downstairs when you're done." Both she and Lois walked outside the apartment, leaving Clark to clean up the mess he had made.

"Do you think he's losing it Mrs. Kent?" Lois asked, her cheery demeanor masking her concern. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Martha placed a hand on her forearm.

"Beside Jonathon and me, you may know Clark better than anybody else. Do you think he's capable of losing his mind?" Martha's voice had a hint of laughter in it.

Lois smiled a little as she made her way back to the counter with Martha. "I guess not, but it was so strange to see him so confused and scared. I always pictured him like a rock. He always has the answers, and to see him so confused was scary."

Martha smiled back as she went around the counter again to fill another order that the waitress had brought over. Placing the mugs on the tray, she looked back at Lois, who was sitting silently, as if contemplating something. "You've seen him at his best, and at his worst Lois, and when I first saw him this confused, I was scared too."

"When was the first time he acted like this? I've known for over a year and have never seen this side of him before." She was curious to know what had triggered those emotions before.

"His relationship with Lana when they were still in high school was turbulent one. For three years he was so confused and scared. There were things that happened between the two of them that I don't either of them were prepared for." Martha finished her last sentence with a little frown.

Lois knew all about Clark and Lana's relationship. Chloe spent so much time in high school talking to her on the phone, complaining about Clark and how he was only interested in Lana Lang. She had always felt bad for Chloe, but she couldn't change the way Clark felt, or didn't feel about her cousin. "Do you think he's going to sit and brood over this? He does have a tendency to do so."

Martha responded, her voice with a tinge of disappointment in it. "I know he will, but he's being doing so little of that since you've been back at the farm, I'm hoping that you could find a way to keep his mind off things."

Lois looked at Martha suggestively. "How do you propose I do that?" She asked; her smirk showing through her emotional defenses.

"Well, I suggest that you do as I said before, go to the beach at the lake. Try and take his mind of what just happened, otherwise he just going to hide in his loft all day." Martha was disappointed and fed up that Clark was always blaming himself for everything that happened. Whatever Lois could do to take his mind of such things was a blessing.

They both looked over as Lex came back in, flipping his cell phone closed. "That sure was a long call Lex." Martha stated.

"That is was Mrs. Kent, but I always have time for my girl." He put his phone back into his pant pocket and threw his coffee cup in the trash.

"Oh, I didn't know you were seeing anyone Lex." Martha replied, somewhat surprised.

"Neither did I."

They turned around to see Clark coming down the stairs, socks on, but boots in hand. "I thought you'd given up on the ladies Lex, seeing how they tend to go bad once meeting you." His voice was so dry with humor that even Lex laughed when he smiled mockingly at them all.

Martha was the first to stop laughing. "Did you get it cleaned up honey?"

"Yeah, it took no time at all." Clark answered, pulling on and tying up his boots.

"What happened up there Clark?" Lex asked.

Clark got up off one knee and look at them all embarrassingly. "I slipped in the shower and broke the tub."

Lex couldn't help but chuckle a little. "I hope you're okay." He said.

"Yeah, I'm fine Lex. I just wounded my pride a little." He smiled, trying to mask the whole truth.

Lex frowned a little at Clark's apprehensive smile. "Is there something you want to tell me Clark?"

Clark was about to respond when Lois butted in. "Not now, later. We're off to the lake. It's a hot day and I could use a swim."

"We?" Clark's eyes shot up a little. "I don't know, I feel like going home and-."

Lois cut him off with a glare. "We're going swimming Smallville. Your mom said so, and are you going to disappoint her?" A large grin was beginning to creep its way onto her face.

Clark looked at her, and then at his mother, whose face read please. "Oh, all right. I'll come along." He said reluctantly. It was a hot day.

Lois clapped her hands together once and looked at Lex. "If you want you and your girlfriend…." She paused for her name.

"Drea." Lex said.

"Well, if you and Drea would like to join us at the lake, we can make a day of it." She finished.

"Sounds like a plan. We'll be there later, first I need to get back to the mansion get some things."

"Do you need a ride back to the mansion Lex?" Clark asked. "I'm sure Lois would be more than happy to give you a ride." His grin was back, but this time it was directed at Lois.

She glared back at him, her eyes angry and pestered.

"That's generous Lois." Lex said slyly, he could see her grumble a little. Looking up at Clark he grinned too. "I appreciate the offer, but Drea will be by soon, I'll go with her back to the mansion to get our things."

"Fine, we have to get back to the farm for some things too." Lois said bluntly. "Goodbye Mrs. Kent." She said, about to leave.

"'Bye Lois, have a good time." Martha replied.

Lois rolled her eyes and turned away, walking towards the door. "Come on Smallville, you better hurry up if you want a ride."

Clark said goodbye to his mother and took off after Lois. "Maybe I should drive Lois; you're a little emotional to be behind the wheel." His head was wagging back and forth in delight at teasing her.

Lois turned around and glared at Clark, opening the door with her back. "Ha! Like I'm going to let you drive. You can't even keep yourself upright in a shower." Her mocking grin appeared once again.

Lois turned around again and walked to her car.

Clark's mood darkened as her comment brought his mind back to what had happened up in the apartment.

-

Martha and Lex stood and watched the two of them bicker. When they were finally out of the building, Lex turned to Martha. "They really are cute when they're around each other aren't they?"

Martha smiled. "That they are."


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

The car thundered down the gravel road, its tires spinning furiously as it slipped on the stone and dirt. The sun baked down on the hood as the engine rumbled louder, its spark plugs working harder and harder as each piston plunged faster than the previous stroke. It was only a matter of time before it was pushed to its limits. The only thing louder than the car, was the voices inside.

"For the love God Lois, slow down. You are going to kill us." Clark screamed at her, the wind biting into every word he said. "Slow down Lois!" He demanded again, but she ignored him, again.

"Come on Smallville, where is your sense of adventure?" Her voice was barely audible as the car wobbled in the loose gravel.

Clark looked over at the speedometer and cringed. "I have a sense of adventure Lois." He screamed. "I just don't want us to get hurt. You're going incredibly fast on loose gravel." Holding onto the door, he hugged it tightly as she took a sharp corner, the rear end of the car sliding furiously across the intersection. "Did I ever tell you that you're insane Lane!?" He yelled.

This time she heard him. Turning to him, she smiled something evil and put the pedal to the floor. The car's engine roared so loud she thought it might blow, but she continued forward, the torque holding them squarely in their seats. It was one of the most thrilling moments in her life and she didn't want it to end. She had no idea why she was doing it, but it felt so good.

Clark didn't want to watch, but he couldn't take his eyes off the road. Each mailbox and hydro pole sped by at an alarming rate as they went faster. Cresting a hill, the front end lifted slightly and fell, causing both Lois and Clark to almost loose the contents of their stomachs.

At the bottom of the hill, a car began to pull out of the intersection, its driver taking their time to pull out. Lois screamed, realizing that she wouldn't be able slow down in time. She clutched her hands to the steering wheel, closed her eyes and waited for her life to end. In those moments, her life flashed before her eyes.

Clark had his eyes closed, but when Lois screamed he opened them. When he saw they were about to hit the car, he opened the door as fast as he could. Quicker than a blink of the eye, he had his foot jammed into the gravel road. With all his strength, he pressed down harder. With his foot in the road, the car began to spin inwards. His boot had begun to tear apart as he noticed the car slowing down. The car began to tilt, trying to flip over as it slid across the gravel sideways. Clark, with all his might, leaned in towards the road balancing the car so that it wouldn't flip.

The car came to a sliding halt, its tires screeching on the gravel. Clark had held fast with his foot, but not without the complete destruction of his boot and sock. Before Lois had a chance to open her eyes, he had his other boot and sock off. Tossing them far off into the distance, he closed the car door. He didn't need her getting suspicious.

Lois, her hands still clutching the steering wheel, screamed. She screamed over and over, her worst nightmare having come true. She was dead.

Clark's ears were being damaged as he saw Lois scream over and over. He undid his seat belt and went close to her. With a firm hand, he grabbed her shoulder, squeezing. "Lois you're okay, Lois!" He yelled at her, but she was still in shock, screaming uncontrollably. Quickly unbuckling her seatbelt, he removed her hands from the steering wheel. She had continued to scream, her eyes clenched tightly shut. He brought her into his arms, hugging her tightly, whispering into her ear.

She was still screaming. Lois dared not open her eyes; she didn't want the lord to take her. It wasn't her time. So she screamed more, her voice piercing her own eardrums. Suddenly, there was another voice she could faintly hear in her ear. "Come back Lois, come back to me." It said. She couldn't stop screaming. "Come back, please come back." It was louder this time, but she wouldn't allow herself to open her eyes. "Lois Lane, Come back!" The voice yelled. Her eyes opened suddenly, her heart beating ferociously.

Clark held onto her as she snapped back to reality. Her heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst. With a soothing voice, he stroked her hair softly, continuing to whisper in her ear. "It's okay Lois, I have you. You're going to be alright." His arms tightened around her as she clutched at him, sobbing.

She cried harder than she ever thought possible, holding onto Clark for dear life. Her emotions were running wild as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't let go of me." She said through racking sobs. All she could hear was his response. "Never." Her heart sang wildly as she smiled through the tears. He was always there for her, whenever she needed him, and now she needed more than she ever had.

Clark sat there, holding onto her. They sat there for minutes on end as she slowly began to cease crying. He wanted to pull back, feeling uncomfortable. He couldn't though, she needed him.

She held to him for another minute before disengaging herself. Looking at his smile, she melted.

He cupped her face, and with his thumbs wiped her tear stained cheeks. "Everything is okay Lois, you're alive." His hands fell from her face and grabbed hers, squeezing them. He once again assured her that everything was okay.

Lois nodded, smiling. She removed her hands from his and wiped away the moisture in her eyes. "What happened?" She asked, opening her eyes again, they were all red and puffy.

Clark couldn't tell her, so he shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea." He hated lying to her at that moment, but his secret was far more important. He saw the look she gave him, one of fright and puzzlement. "Luckily we were wearing our seatbelts huh?" He gave her little pinch on the knee, laughing slightly.

Her eyes became angry as she slapped him across the face softly. "How dare you laugh at a time like this Smallville. We almost died and you are laughing, what the hell is wrong with you?" Her anger subsided when he continued to grin. She fell back into her seat, closing her eyes and sighing heavily.

Clark was about to say something when he heard a vehicle pull up. Looking back around, he noticed his father's truck stop to a halt. He was on his way back from the co-op. Clark patted Lois on the knee. "I'll be right back, okay?" She nodded a little while he stepped out of the car and towards his dad, who was getting out of the truck.

"What in world happened son?" His dad asked, eying the demolished gravel road. "Are you and Lois okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine, but I can't say the same for the road." His attempt on a joke was lost on his dad, who was too concerned to notice.

Jonathon looked at the road again, then at his son. "Where are your boots?"

Clark told him what had happened, not everything, especially about the reckless speeding, but everything none the less.

His father looked at him with pride purely evident in his eyes. "I'm proud of you son. I hope that one day you'll see how truly amazing what you did was."

Clark tried to shrug it off. "It's nothing no one else would have done, if they had my abilities."

Jonathan put a hand on his son's shoulder and grinned. "Well, just don't start thinking you're just like everyone else. Otherwise you might accidentally stop saving lives." His attempt at humor had them both chuckling.

"Smallville?" He heard Lois call from back at the car. He went to go to her, but his dad grabbed him by the arm.

"Has she seen the damage to the road yet?" He asked, concern clearly etched in his voice.

"No, why?" He asked his father, who looked over his shoulder.

"Well, put her in the passenger seat, and don't let her see the road."

"That might be hard dad." He replied, wondering what his father was thinking.

"Just try son. I'll drive her back to the farm while you fix the road. Drive the truck home when you're done." He looked both ways down the road. "Make sure know one sees you."

Clark nodded as he heard Lois call for him again. They both walked to the car and he opened the door, picking Lois up in his arms. Her eyes were closed, exhausted from the ordeal. "My dad will drive you home, I have to do something first. Okay?"

She only nodded slightly, keeping her eyes closed.

His father got into the car and pulled it parallel to the highway. He carried her to the passenger seat; her head nestled in the crook of his arm. Setting her in the seat, he buckled the seatbelt for her. With a nod, he signaled for his father to go. He watched as they disappeared down the road, dust flying up behind them in the clear blue morning.

When they were completely out of his view, he made sure no one was looking, and began to fix the road. In a matter of minutes, he had it looking like it did before. With grin, he wiped his brow. The sun was hot, but luckily it wouldn't burn his skin.

He hopped into the truck and headed for home, all the while hoping that Lois was really okay.

-

Lois opened her eyes, slowly trying to recap what had just happened. She thought for sure that she was going to die, but then she woke up in Clark's arms. She had been so scared that she had held on to him for what seemed like forever. In his arms she felt safe, happy, and most of all, loved. She sat up straight as they pulled into the farm, her eyes glancing up at the sign hanging at the entrance way.

As Jonathon and Lois pulled up to the house, she couldn't help but feel as though Clark had somehow saved them. She couldn't be sure, but it would have made sense. He was always there, keeping them, Chloe, Lana and herself out of harms way. And, when they got themselves into trouble, he was always there to rescue them. She was a Lane, strong and hard, but it was very reassuring to know that there was someone around her that cared enough to look out for her.

When they stopped at the house, Jonathon went around the car to help Lois, but she brushed his hand away. She was a strong woman he knew, but everyone should know when to accept help, he thought.

She took a shaky step out of the car. Luckily her legs didn't give out, and make Mr. Kent have to catch her.

"Do you need any help Lois?" He asked, in a fatherly tone.

"No, I can manage." Her voice cracked a little. Walking towards the house, she put a hand on the step railing as she pulled her way up. The strength that she had felt disappear earlier when in Clark's arms, was working its way back into her legs and torso. After a few solid steps she felt much better, stepping through the doorway to sit at the island counter.

"Can I get you anything Lois?" Jonathon asked.

"Just some coffee please, Mr. Kent."

He nodded and put on a pot, letting the coffee drip into it. He heard the truck pull up the lane way and he went to the door. Clark was home. Looking over at Lois, he caught her attention. "I'm going to help Clark unload the truck; do you think you can pour your own coffee?"

Lois looked at him with a glare. "I'm not child Mr. Kent; I think I can handle it."

Jonathon nodded, picked up a pair of boots and walked out to the barn to where Clark was backing up.

Clark parked the truck and got out. He noticed his father walking over with his other boots in hand.

His dad threw the boots at him when he got close. "Best put these on so that Lois doesn't see you walking around here in bare feet like you don't feel anything."

"Thanks dad." He said, slipping them on. "How's is Lois?" He asked as he followed his father back to the tailgate.

Jonathon opened the tailgate and grabbed a bag of calf starter. "Oh, she fine. Oomph!" He set down the sack and went for another. "She's just a little shaken up."

Clark grabbed a sack and put it on the pile. "I just hope she doesn't become obsessed about what happened. I don't think I could take her bugging me about how we managed to escape death."

"Well, I think as long as you stick to the fact that you had your eyes closed too, I think she'll leave you alone. I am afraid she's going to everything she can to find out what happened though, it's just her nature. It's not good to dwell on these types of things. You more than anybody know about that."

"Then what do I do?" He asked, grabbing the last bag of calf starter and putting it on the pile.

"Find something to keep her mind of it, anything you can come up with."

"We were supposed to go to the lake with Lex and his new girlfriend this afternoon, but I doubt she'll be up for it now."

His dad snorted a laugh. "You mean there is someone out there that can put up with a Luthor?"

"Dad!" Clark said; forcefully, not at all happy with the comment.

His father looked at him as he closed the tailgate. "I'm sorry about that son." He changed the subject back to Lois. "So you said you were supposed to go the lake with Lex and his girlfriend?"

"Yeah, but I'm afraid Lois won't want to go now, and I really don't want to force her. She's just been through a lot."

"Well son, you have to try, we don't want her exhausting herself by reliving that ordeal." His dad banged the top of the tailgate with his hand reassuringly. "You go in and check on her, I have things to do out here."

Clark nodded and headed for the house, his old boots moving loosely on his feet.

-

Lois had watched from the window as Clark and his father had unloaded the truck. While Mr. Kent bad been visibly straining over each bag, Clark had had no trouble with them. God, he is so strong, she thought to herself. When he had put her into the passenger seat, she felt like a kitten, so weak and fragile. He seemed to lift her without any problem. She would never admit it to him, but she was happy that he was in her life. He made her feel so safe.

She had to be strong too, just like Clark. The coffee wasn't quite done yet, so she went upstairs to her, well Clark's, bedroom and packed what they would need for the afternoon at the lake. She found his swim trunks in the drawer and pushed them into her tope bag. Rummaging through the bottom drawers, she pondered on what bikini to wear, the baby blue, the red one, or the black one. Making up her mind, she stripped down and put on the baby blue one. It was always her favorite. Slipping her clothes back on, she stepped into the hallway.

Going over to the hallway closet, she opened it up and found two green beach towels. Stuffing them into the bag, she headed down the stairs to the laundry room to look for sun block. Finding what she wanted, she walked out into the kitchen and put the bag on the counter. The coffee was ready.

Smelling the sweet aroma of caffeine, she waded her way over to the pot and poured herself a mug. Smelling the cup full of coffee, she held it in both hands as she looked out the window. Clark was coming to the house, his boots not tied up. She stared at him, watching as his sweaty body moved seemingly in slow motion towards the steps. Breaking her stare, she took a sip of coffee and set it on the counter. She needed some lunch.

Clark came through the door, wiping his brow with his arm. "Wow, it is sure hot out there." He said, kicking off his boots. He bent over and straightened them.

Lois looked over her shoulder from out of the fridge. "Well, you'll feel better when you're in the water." She said, once again concerning herself with lunch.

Clark was a little surprised when he heard what she said, taken aback by her cheery attitude. "I thought that you might not want to go?"

She took out the left over roast beef and put it on the counter. Closing the fridge, she grabbed a plate out of the cupboard. "I figured that sitting around here and dwelling on what happened wasn't such a good idea. Plus, we promised Lex we would be there."

Clark was glad to she wasn't brooding on the events of earlier, but was concerned a little, because it wasn't like her to just let things go. "Are you sure you want to go?" He asked, a little concern creeping into his voice.

"Sure do." She replied cheerfully. "Want a cup of coffee Smallville?" She asked, moving towards the bread.

Clark smiled little at hearing her call him that. Maybe she was okay. "No thanks, its noon and I think I'd rather have milk for lunch." He moved to the fridge and fished out the milk bottle. Grabbing a glass, he poured it full, and placed the milk back into the fridge. He took a good swallow and breathed out, satisfied with the taste.

Lois wiggled out four slices of bread and put them on her plate. "Want a roast beef sandwich Smallville?" She asked, grabbing the knife on the counter and began cutting slices of meat off the roast.

"Sure." He replied, a little miffed at why she was actually doing anything to help him.

"Anything else you'd like on it?" She asked, putting the slices on the bread.

Now he was more than slightly concerned, offering to put condiments on his sandwich. He laughed inwardly. "Relish and mayonnaise if you don't mind?"

"Not at all." She responded, turning around and grabbing both jars from the fridge. Screwing the lid off the mayonnaise, she dipped the knife into the jar and spread it on his bread.

"Know where my trunks are?" He asked

Lois nodded. She pointed at the bag on the counter. "In there." She said, licking the mayonnaise off her finger. Screwing the lid back onto the mayonnaise she watched Clark rummage into her tope bag and find his swim shorts. She put the jar in the fridge and turned around to see Clark missing. He must have been changing into his trunks and a new shirt.

She slapped a bit of relish on her and Clark's sandwich's and put the top slice on both. Not knowing whether he liked his cut, she cut her own in half and elected to leave his alone. Taking a bite out of hers, she saw Clark come out of the living room with his bright red trunks and a new white t-shirt on. His trunks seemed to be little snugger since the last time she saw him in them. "You're trunks look a little small there." She pointed out, taking another bite. Pushing a piece of relish into her mouth that was stuck on the corner of her lip, she handed him his sandwich. "Didn't know if you liked it cut or not."

"Doesn't matter to me." He said, taking a bite. "Thanks, and yes, they are a little smaller than I remember."

"Stop eating, and maybe you'll stop growing." She joked, her sense of humor still in tact.

"Then stop feeding me then." He pestered, pointing his sandwich at her, shaking it softly. He saw that smirk of hers appear, at that point he knew she was going to be alright. "What else are we going to need? I see you have the sun block already." He pointed out, rummaging through the bag again.

Lois finished her last bite and put her plate in the dishwasher. "We need a cooler and some drinks. Where do your parents keep the booze?"

Clark cleared his throat. "Not only is it illegal to drink alcohol in public, but-."

"What?" Lois interrupted him, angrily. Were underage? So what, live a little Smallville."

"No." He replied smoothly. "Ever since my dad's heart attack, there hasn't been a drop of liquor in the house in about two years." He plopped the last of his sandwich into his mouth and swallowed it.

"Oh." She said, regretting that she snapped at him. "Well, soda will just have to do." She reached on top of the fridge and grabbed the cooler. Opening the freezer, she grabbed the trays of ice. Twisting each one of them back and forth, she dumped the cubes into the cooler. "Mind filling these trays back up?" She asked as she bent down to grab the sodas that Martha had stored under the island table.

"No problem." He said, grabbing the trays and filling them up with water. He placed them back in the freezer as Lois put the last of the drinks in the cooler. Closing the freezer door, he bent down and grabbed the cooler handle. "I'll carry this."

Lois watched his strong muscular arm reached down and pick up the cooler. She wondered how that arm would feel holding her to his body again. Shaking herself, she cleared her mind of those strange feelings, and stood up.

"Is that everything?" He asked looking around the kitchen.

Lois looked around too. "I think so. All we need are our flip flops and we're set."

Clark walked to the door as she went over and picked up her tote bag. Slipping on his flip flops that were at the front door he picked hers up and handed them to her as she went through the door. "Thank you." She said, as he followed her out to the car.

"Want me to drive?" He asked, worried she might be a little apprehensive. He expected a little huff of annoyance, but she only nodded to him. He frowned a little, placing the cooler in the back seat. Something was bothering her more than she wanted him to know. It was about what happened earlier, he was sure, but he could also tell there was something else that was adding to her quiet demeanor.

She placed her bag in the back seat and got into the car. Putting on her seatbelt, she took her sunglasses out of the glove box and put them on a quickly as she could. She couldn't let him see the tears that were forming in her eyes.

Clark got in and put on his own seatbelt, clicking it into the buckle. "Have any other sunglasses in there?' He asked, squinting.

Lois was too afraid to talk, fearing he might hear her voice crack. She just opened up the glove box compartment again and handed him a pair.

He looked them over, they were familiar. "Uh, Lois, aren't these the pair that you wore when you stripped, uh, at that club?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes now void of moisture as she looked more carefully as police style sunglasses. "I guess they are." She said, her voice sounding strong. "What's wrong with that?" She asked, seeing him squirm a little.

Clark just looked over at her. She was smirking again. Shaking his head slightly, he put them on and noticed they worked pretty well. "How do I look?" He asked.

"Like an undercover cop." She laughed, her emotions turning from confusion to giddiness. "Now, stop fretting over your appearance and drive Barnaby."

Clark, fumed at the last joke, but didn't show any emotion. "Aye aye sailor." He shot back, a grin split wide across his face.

She responded by turning on the radio, loud enough so that she could not here him speak. She swatted his hand away from the radio dial as he went to change the station. "No country Smallville, it's too depressing."

Retracting his hand as if hurt, he grunted his frustration, which he was sure brought a thin smile to her lips. He pulled the car out the laneway and down the road towards the lake, the music drowning out the sound of the car.

They didn't speak a single word during the short drive and it worried him. He didn't mind that it was quiet, in fact he enjoyed it, but he was concerned because was Lois so quiet. Not wanting to pry into her business, he just pulled into the parking spot at the lake. Turning off the engine, he noticed that the beach was nearly deserted. It was the middle of a week day, but usually on a day like this there were high school students playing hooky and elderly people walking dogs. Shrugging it off, he unbuckled himself and got out of the car.

He had just picked up cooler when he heard a loud car scream noisily. Lex soon came into view speeding into the parking area in a different Ferrari.

Lois was grabbing her bag when she looked behind her to see the playboy billionaire speed up next to them, stopping on a dime. She looked back at Clark. "Does he have his own manufacturing plant?" She asked, jokingly.

"Sometimes I wonder…" Clark replied, letting his sentence trail off as if he had answered yes. He walked over to greet Lex, but the man had already gone over to the other side of his car to help his girlfriend out her side.

The woman that stepped out of the car was breathtaking. Her soft skin and black flowing hair were accented nicely by her athletically tall body. She was already in her bikini, a black one, he noted, staring. Lois elbowed him in the ribs, bringing his attention back to Lex., who was bringing her towards them.

Lex, with his hand on the small of her back, introduced her. "Lois, Drea. Drea, Lois."

They shook hands, exchanging pleasantries.

He turned her to Cark. "Drea, this is Clark. Clark, Drea."

Clark shook her hand and said hello.

Drea removed her sunglasses and stared at Clark. "Clark Kent?" She asked in a surprised voice.

"How did you-." He stopped suddenly, recognizing her. "Andrea!" he blurted out in complete shock.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

Lois watched as Drea and Clark hugged, their bodies seemingly rubbing together a little too much for Lex's comfort. She could see the jealousy and rage that boiled deep within his eyes, something she had been seeing a lot in his character recently.

Clark disengaged from Andrea, overjoyed that she was alive. He was scared that since the day she almost killed Lionel, she might have hurt herself. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Let alone in Smallville of all places." He could see his joyous attitude made her happy, just like seeing old friends again should be.

Her smile brightened as she looked at him more closely. She was a little surprised herself at seeing him, but it wasn't very far fetched, she was dating a Luthor, and Clark certainly had his run-ins with their kind. "I never thought I'd see you again either, after I left on such bad terms." Her smile faltered slightly after she finished speaking, still ashamed at what she had done.

Clark frowned a little as she dipped her head down to look at the ground. With his index finger to her chin, he lifted her eyes to meet his. "It's okay, that was in the past, and I forgive you. Each of us has our moments of weakness."

Andrea, formerly known as The Angel of Vengeance, grabbed his hand with both of hers. Tightening her grip as she looked right into his blue eyes, she perked up a little. "Thank you Clark, I would never have thought you'd forgive me."

"What are friends for?" He said reassuringly.

Lex, whose emotions were teetering slightly, cleared his throat.

It caught the attention of the two friends, who were holding hands still. They let their arms slip away quickly as they both blushed. Clark looked at both Lex and Lois, their faces had a confused look to them.

"How do you two know each other?" Lex asked; his voice a little shaky.

Andrea knew that Clark was going to have to lie, but she started before he could. "Clark and I were introduced to each through Chloe. I used to work for the daily planet." It wasn't really a lie, but she couldn't tell them that Clark had caught her beating up a bunch of thugs for stealing Chloe's purse in suicide slums.

Lex frowned a little, wondering if she was telling the truth.

Lois piped in conveniently. "You two didn't, well, you know…" She let the last words trail away quietly.

Lex's eyebrows shot up a little.

Clark and Andrea looked at each other, embarrassment slapped on their faces. "No, no." Clark said hurriedly, looking back at both Lex and Lois.

Lois got a certain level of satisfaction from his uneasiness. "I'm surprised you have other friends Smallville." Her voice was so thick with mock, she almost drooled.

"Smallville?" Andrea asked, turning her attention back to Clark.

Clark waved the question away. "I'll tell you later." Clark looked back at Lois and shot her an annoyed stare.

"What's wrong Clarky?" Lois asked, her ever annoying smirk back.

He didn't even dignify her with response. He only picked up the cooler and headed towards the lake.

Andrea frowned as she saw Clark turn away, fuming a little. Reaching over and entwining her hand in Lex's, she looked up at him seductively. "Let go." She said, her eyes looking deep into his.

"Lets" He replied, putting his lips to hers.

They followed after Clark, Lois only a few steps behind. She leaned over to whisper in Lex's ear while they walked. "Are Lois and Clark friends? They don't seem very friendly to one another."

Lex looked over at her with a smile. "They publicly say they're not, but everyone knows that they are. They have…well… a strange relationship let's say. I've never seen anyone push his buttons so much, and yet, make him smile so much either."

Andrea couldn't help but look back at Lois, who was walking briskly behind them, her bag swinging lightly on her shoulder. She sure was beautiful she thought, even taller than her own five foot eight. That smirk was still there, something that made her nose and mouth wrinkle slightly.

They continued to follow Clark, who quickly stopped and put down the cooler. "This looks like a good spot." He said, as he watched the others catch up to him. Lois had disappeared from his sight, but he found her again as she walked closer to the water.

"Let's sit closer to the water." Lois said, staring straight out into the lake, her hands on her hips.

Clark grumbled a little at her disapproval of his choice of location. "Lois, I think it'd better over here."

She didn't respond to him. She simply removed their towels from her bag and laid them apart from one another. After a few seconds, she turned back around to look at the three of them standing by the cooler. "Well Smallville, your towel is over here." Her eyes were glowing with mirth.

Clark fumed. Picking up the cooler again, he looked over at Lex and Andrea. "I swear I'm going to strangle her." He said, in all seriousness. He could see the two of them grin in laughter, each of their hands going to their mouths to cover it up. "You two will be next." He said menacingly. Turning away and striding confidently over to Lois, he had to keep his anger subsided so that he wouldn't say anything to her would regret later

Andrea wrapped her arm around Lex's waist as they followed Clark. "I could have sworn they were married Lex." She said, laughing a little.

"You're not the only one dear, you have no idea how many people think that." Lex was grinning even wider.

"Did they ever date? It's as if they've known each other intimately."

"Heavens no." Lex laughed loudly. "She is just living at the farm with him and his parents."

She breathed out heavily, as if she understood. "They seem so hostile; I could have sworn they hate each other."

"Well Drea, a year of sleeping on the couch while someone sleeps in your bed, that'd make me a little surly too."

"A year?" She asked, surprised. "I could have sworn they've lived together all their life."

"Nope, they met about two years ago when I was protecting her cousin Chloe from my father's hit men. If it wasn't for the two of them, I wouldn't have been able to put my father in prison, even if it was only briefly. They rescued her after my father's people got a hold of her a day before his trial."

Andrea looked up at him. He really wasn't his father's son, which was clearly evident. If he was, she would have never have let him into her life. She felt so happy that someone, so genuinely caring, had come into her life. She had always thought poorly of the rich, but Lex wasn't like most of them. He actually cared about the welfare of others.

Clark set down the cooler again and sat down on it, carefully making sure he didn't put too much weight on it. He rubbed his fingers through his hair as he stared out at the peaceful lake. Looking at the tranquility of the water made him forget about all his troubles, and the events of earlier. "Beautiful." He whispered, continuing to stare out over the lake.

Lois had her tank top over top of her head when she heard him. Thinking that he was talking about her, she removed it quickly, only to find him staring out into the lake. He looked so peaceful, as if somehow the weight of the world had left his shoulders briefly, if only for a moment. Turning her attention to her jeans, she kicked off her flip flops and slid off her denims. She hoped secretly that he would glance over at her, but he didn't budge, his eyes glued to the water. Taking in a deep breath of satisfaction at how great she looked in her bikini, she followed his gaze back out to the water.

Clark heard her take a deep breath and looked over at the now scantily clad Lois Lane. He couldn't help stare at her smooth and slender figure. She was a gorgeous he had to admit, her breasts-." He slapped himself mentally as he heard Andrea and Lex lay their towels behind them. Getting up off the cooler, he removed his sandals and his shirt, allowing his body to soak in more sun. It was both warm and invigorating.

This time it was Lois's chance to stare. She watched him as he removed the shirt. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as she admired him. Her gaze broke away when she heard a voice behind her.

"Do you have any sun screen in that bag Lois?" Andrea asked, flipping her sunglasses from her hair back onto her nose.

Lois glared at her, making her tear her gaze from Clark, but she changed her mood suddenly. "In my bag here somewhere." She replied, bending over and fishing it out. Handing it over to the two half naked people behind her, she sat down on the towel. Clark was already on his own, resting on his elbows.

Andrea handed the bottle to Lex and undid the strings around her neck and back. "Would you mind doing my back and neck?" She asked, turning her back to him.

"I would love to." He replied with enthusiasm, putting some sun screen in his hands. Setting the bottle down, he began to rub it on her back as she held up her hair with one hand, and held her bikini on with her other arm. He loved the smoothness of her back, and how her shoulders sloped so perfectly. "Finished." He said sadly, not wanting to remove his hands from her.

Andrea grabbed the bottle and made him turn around so she could do his back. She finished quickly and did the rest of her body.

Receiving the bottle back, Lex finished himself and tossed it back up to Lois and Clark. This was going to be interesting he thought.

Lois looked over as she heard a thud beside her. Clark was still looking to the sky, his sunglasses reflecting the sunshine onto her body. She couldn't help but notice how handsome he was in those glasses. She looked down at the bottle of sun screen quickly when Clark's eyes had darted over to her, catching her staring. Grabbing the bottle, she turned her back to him, and undid her own strings. "Do you mind Clark?" Her face split into large grin. She knew she was going to make him squirm, and that gave her so much pleasure.

Clark looked on nervously as she undid the strings and put the bottle out to him, her hand shaking it suggestively. He tensed up and turned red from head to toe. "Lois, I-I" He stammered.

"Come on Smallville, don't get all boy scout on me now. Just do it. I promise I won't bite." Her words came out so smoothly, even though she was nervous too.

Clark, swallowing the lump in his throat, grabbed the bottle with a shaky hand. It wobbled in his grip as he swallowed again. He heard a chuckle from both Lex and Andrea. It only added to his unsettling behavior. He tried to steel himself as much as he could as he squeezed a little into his palm. Rubbing his hands together, he took a deep breath and steadied himself as much as he could. He scooted up a little closer, almost to close for comfort, and began rubbing the sun screen on her back.

Lois took a sharp breath as he began to rub it on her back. His hands shook a little on her back, or was it her that shook. She couldn't tell as she lost herself in his touch, his hands moving up to her neck and shoulders. She closed her eyes in satisfaction as he rubbed her neck. She was losing all thought as she almost let her top fall off. Her thoughts came back to earth as his hands finished. Swallowing hard, she did her straps back up and turned back around to take the bottle back from him, finishing her front herself.

Clark avoided her eyes when she turned around, instead focusing again on the lake.

"Want me to do your back?" Lois asked. She was not quite sure if she could keep a steady hand like him.

Clark looked over at her nervously, trying to keep his gaze from leaving her face to stare at her chest. "No, not now." He said, his voice cracking a little. "I think I'll go for a swim." He took off into the water as quick as he could, falling into the cold wetness. He let the water engulf him as he disappeared from the sun, unable to keep his thoughts from turning dirty.

Lois sat there stunned, holding the bottle as he vanished from sight. Did he not trust her enough to simply put sun screen on him? Feeling a little hurt, she turned around to look at the two people behind her, looks of mirth plainly etched on their faces. She threw the bottle at them in a huff, her hands shaking only a little. Undoing her ponytail, she laid down on her stomach to tan. Her happiness at making him squirm was quickly replaced by regret, and she had no idea why.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

Clark whisked through the cold water, his body feeling awakened and rejuvenated. He let the coolness overtake his mind, replacing the thoughts of Lois. He had an inkling of what was going on. He had spent almost four years of his life pining in love for one woman, and now those strange feelings were somehow returning, but not for the person he would have expected.

He swam deeper under water, trying to clear his mind. There were so many things that had happened in just a mere six hours that he had a hard time trying to comprehend some of the smaller things. They almost died; he swore he had seen something, or someone for that matter, who was dead. Yet, all he could think about was rubbing Lois's back with his hands. He would never tell her how horribly mortified and nervous he was when he did it.

He had thought she was just playing with him, making him sweat a little. Maybe that was what she believed too, but when he touched her, he knew that she had felt something else. Her body had been shaking slightly. Maybe his hands had been cold, but his hands were never cold. She was scared he knew, the first few seconds he had his hands on her back, she was tense and stiff, but only for a few seconds. He had felt her quickly relax as he moved his hands all around her backside.

He had felt the urge to put his hand through her hair, much like he did with himself on a constant basis. Things he knew were going strangely, but he refrained himself from doing anything further. He hadn't wanted to take his hands off her, but he also didn't want her to know he was enjoying himself. When he finished, he had taken a deep breath, mentally exhausted from battling his urges.

Back on shore, Lois was lying on her stomach, letting her mind wander off to impure thoughts of Clark. She knew they were close, no matter how much they hated each other. Their act of busting one another's chops was always the best part of her day. She didn't know how he felt about it, and she couldn't be sure if he enjoyed it, or hated it. Sometimes she pushed too far and he would become silent and distant.

Andrea was staring out into the lake, and realized that Clark was nowhere in sight. She knew he was okay, but not coming up for air in two minutes, that might worry the others. Getting to her feet, she slapped away what sand was on her and looked down at Lex. "I think I'll join Clark in the water, this sun is getting to be little a much."

Lex looked up and nodded. "Go ahead, I'm enjoying this sun. I've been getting a little pale lately."

She bent over and gave him a quick peck before walking into the water. She walked further and further into the lake, the water rising slowly as she treaded lightly on the lake bead. She let her arms drift out to her sides, her finger dancing off the top of the water. It was cold, but she had dealt with worse conditions. Suddenly the lake bead dropped off and she plunged deep underwater, her breath knocked out of her. Reaching the surface, she took a sharp breath and spit out little water. Her heart was racing like wild as she pushed her wet hair from her eyes.

Clark caught something in his hearing, it was a heart beat. The person's heart was beating furiously. Maybe they were trouble, he couldn't be sure, but when he focused in he could hear it calm down. Thinking it might be Lois, he swam towards it, trying as hard as he could to make out the blurry image as he got closer. The water was a clear blue, but the sun was distorting his view. When he got within ten feet, he noticed it wasn't Lois, but Andrea. He popped his head above the water in front of her. "Hey."

Andrea's heart skipped a beat as Clark surprised her. She let herself drop below water again, but this time remembered to take a breath. She didn't know how much her meteor affected heart could do, if it let her hold her breath longer or not, but she didn't think it was the time to test it. She felt a hand on her arm and she was pulled back above the surface.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked, worried that he might have done something.

"I'm fine." She replied, her voice a little rattled. "You just scared the life out me."

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to." He was afraid she was going to scowl at him.

Andrea smiled a little. "No need to say sorry, I was just caught off guard." She moved her arms in a circular motion in the water while she kicked back and forth slowly. The water was actually quite pleasant with the sun shining down on it. "I'm usually not so unprepared, but ever since that day at Luthercorp, I haven't used any of abilities. I must be losing my edge." Her smile faltered a little.

Clark couldn't help but feel her pain. He didn't know how he would react after having killed a man, but he would probably do the same thing, disappear and vow never to use his gifts again. "Where did you go?" He asked softly, trying not to make her uncomfortable.

The former Angel of Vengeance dipped below the water again and came back up, her hair clinging to her head and shoulders. "I disappeared, somewhere where no one could find me. Somewhere no one would expect me to go. I went home."

Clark frowned a little. He knew everyone had a home, but from their previous conversations, she had implied that her she had no home, only her mother, who was killed before her heart surgery. "Where is home?" He asked, intrigued.

"Grandville." She said, flatly. She swam past him, looking out over the rest of the water. Turning back around to face Clark, she smiled wide. "I found out I had grandparents." That had been one of the happiest days in her life, not only because she had found living kin, but because they had accepted her without a single doubt.

"I didn't know you had any other family Andrea." Clark said, looking at the smile that was on her face. It was good to see her happy.

"Neither did I, but when I found a journal of my mothers childhood back at my apartment, I found out where they lived. It took all my courage not to curse my mother from never telling me that they were alive, but I forgave her."

Clark knew how she was feeling. "I know what you're talking about; my parents hid me from my real heritage for almost twelve years. I was irate with them for not telling me sooner, but I came to understand that they were trying to protect me. To this day I am thankful for that. My biological father isn't exactly what you'd call normal"

His smirk was very comforting. "I can only imagine." She replied. She knew he was special, and that he was born with his abilities, but she didn't really didn't know that much about him.

"Continue." Clark urged her, seeing that talking about her grandparents made her feel happy.

Andrea knew Clark was trying to make her feel better. He really was a special person. "Well, for about a week I was held up in my apartment, contemplating whether or not to go see them. I finally got up the courage to do so and I confronted them." She had been so scared, almost in tears, but she had held fast. "I went to where they lived, in a small but wealthy suburb of Grandville. I was surprised to find out that they were very rich, but it didn't really matter to me." She hesitated for a moment.

She twirled around in the water a bit before she continued. "They let me in, not really sure who I was, but when I told them I was their granddaughter they were so happy to see me. They were the kindest people I had ever met."

Clark couldn't help but see how those words lit up her face. She seemed to have found someone other than her mother that loved her. He didn't want to ruin her mood, but he had a few more questions. "Did you find out why your mother never told you they existed?"

Andrea nodded, losing her smile. "They told me that when my mother was eighteen, she ran off with my father, who I never knew, and got married. They of course were upset, and wouldn't let her back home. So, my mother moved to the big city, and eventually had me, but my father had run off to god knows where."

"I'm sorry." Clark interrupted.

Andrea put on a fake smile. "Don't be Clark, it's not your fault he was a deadbeat." She paused for moment, reflecting, before she continued. "My grandparents told me that when I was born, they tried to get involved in my life, but my mother wouldn't let them, still bitter that they never approved of her marriage, she hid them from me."

"Things seemed to have worked out though." Clark said

She looked up at the sun, her eyes squinting. "Yes they have. I never thought I would ever be happy again, but they loved me so much, and that was something that I hadn't had in so long."

Clark, still curious, swam a little closer to her. "Do they know about your abilities?"

She looked back at Clark and nodded, swimming around him. "I told them about what the heart did to me, and about me killing my mother's murderer."

"How did they take it?"

Looking back towards the beach, her back to him, she answered with vigor. "Better than I ever dreamed of." Turning back around to face him, her eyes watered slightly. "You and Chloe were the only ones who had ever accepted me, but when they said that it didn't matter what I had done in the past, and that they only wanted me to be with them in the future, it made me feel whole again." She giggled in girlish glee, diving under the water and plunging back up.

Clark couldn't help but laugh with her. The last time he had seen her she was so angry, and demoralized, but now she was happy and most of all, loved. "What about Lex?" He asked as she shook the hair out of her eyes. He didn't trust Lex much, but he was still a good friend.

"Ahh, Lex." She said in a whirlwind of pleasure. "We met at a fundraiser. My grandfather was Lex's accountant before he retired. I wasn't to keen on going, but now I'm glad I did."

Clark frowned a little. He was about to say something when she interrupted him.

"I know there are some things about him that you don't like Clark, but he treats me like a queen, and he's nothing like his father."

Clark could agree with that. If anything, Lex was driven to be nothing like his father. "He and his father don't like each other very much, but they do respect one another. I would just advise that you not tell Lex that you tried to kill his father. I don't think he'd be really upset about it, he'd just question how in the world you got close enough to attempt it."

Andrea understood what he was saying, but there was something that he was also hiding from her. "What are you not telling me Clark? If it's about Lex I want to know. I need to know everything before I can trust him.

Clark stared at her pleading eyes, unable to lie to her. "He was obsessed about the meteor showers ever since he lost his hair because of the first one. It was only heightened when he hit me with his car and didn't injure me. I saved him from that car, but he became suspicious about me."

She was a little surprised. "I knew he lost his hair because of the first meteor shower, but he never told me about his obsession over it."

"He's not very proud about what he did during that time. He had me investigated, spent millions in trying to figure out my secret, it eventually consumed him."

Andrea could hardly believe what she was hearing. She knew Clark wasn't one to lie about such things, and she didn't want to believe what he was saying was true.

Clark could see the fright and concern in her eyes. He tried to let her concerns about Lex disappear. "He confessed everything to me, he almost went over the edge, but he came to his senses. We had a falling out over our friendship about it, but eventually we got past it."

"So you're still friends then?" She asked, hoping that they were.

"Sort of I guess." He answered. "We're not a close as we used to be. I still don't trust him, but he hasn't given me any reason to doubt him yet. He tried so hard to prove he was still my friend, that I thought it phony and pressing. Eventually he gave up trying, and that's when he realized what real friendship was about. Not proving your worth to the other person, but showing that you genuinely care."

Andrea smiled a little. "Does he know you don't trust him?"

Clark nodded. "He does, but I've told him that it would take time for him to make me trust him again. He understands that and said he was willing to wait as long as possible."

"Do you think that you could ever trust him again?" She asked, hoping silently that he could. She saw Lex as a huge part of her life and she didn't want him coming between her and Clark's friendship.

"I'm not sure, I want to. He's been honest to me about everything since then, but he still hides things from me. I know that I'm hiding things from him too, but I'm hoping one day that we'll both be able to tell one another everything. I know he has the best intentions, but sometimes his intentions can become cloudy and drive him to do certain things." Clark looked past her to Lex, who was still sitting upon his towel, looking out at them.

"I just want to be there, to trust him, to love him." Andrea said, looking back at Lex and waving. She turned back towards Clark. "Do you know what I mean?" She asked.

Clark knew full well what she meant. "I think that if you really want to trust each other completely, you need to be fully honest about yourself. Tell him everything. Trying to love someone and keeping secrets from them never works. Trust me, I know."

She knew all about Lana and Clark. Chloe had filled her in on it. They had actually kept in touch,. Chloe was her only friend after she put away her mask.

"Can you just do one thing for me though?" Clark asked.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Don't tell him about me. It's something that we have work out between us."

Andrea smiled. "I will Clark, he won't be privy to any of your abilities."

Clark paused for a second. "I hate having to ask you to lie to him about me. Trust me, I hate having to."

"That's okay Clark; I can understand why you feel that way. I don't even know everything about you."

Clark sighed, he wanted to tell her everything, but she was in bed with Lex, and he couldn't trust him. That lack of trust was gnawing on his trust for Andrea as well. He knew she was a good person, but he had to so careful with his secret. "There are only a few people that really know who I am, my parents, Chloe, and Lionel."

Andrea was shocked by the last name. "Lionel knows about you? For the love of all things holy, how does he know?" She was scared and frightened to think a man like that knew about Clark's abilities.

Clark chuckled a little. "I know it sounds bad, but of anyone, he knows the most about me. I know this is going to sound bad, but truth to tell, I trust him with my secret."

She stared at him with wide eyes, anger rising up within her. "You trust Lionel and not Lex? She asked, her voice rising loudly.

"As bad as it sounds, yes." Clark could see the anger in her eyes. "He has been through so much when it comes to my gifts. He had spent so many years, much as Lex, obsessed. Difference was that Lionel was obsessed with finding a cure for his ailing liver, and Lex was just obsessed with knowing everything about me. I think Lionel always knew something was different about me, but he was obsessed with my heritage, not me directly. Some strange things happened to Lionel, and he understands why I keep quiet about my gifts."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I-I-I." She stammered.

"Don't worry, Lionel and I aren't friends, we just have an understanding. If you want to bad mouth Lionel Luthor, I suggest talking to my father; he'll lend you a hand." The last sentence came out with a grin.

A little chuckle escaped her mouth. The last thing he said sounded rather funny to her, but she didn't know why. "So I'm guessing your dad doesn't like him either."

Clark grinned from ear to ear. "Let's just say that you're not the person who hates him the most."

She laughed, thinking that there was someone out there that hated him more than her. "Why does he hate him so much?"

"It's a long story, but it has a lot to do with the town and my secret." He lost his grin.

Andrea nodded in understanding. There was a lot about Clark Kent that even she didn't know about yet. "How is Chloe doing?" She asked, changing the subject. "I haven't talked to her much, since I went to live with my grandparents."

"She's fine. She is going to Met-U, and working at The Daily Planet." Clark paused for a second. "Wait a minute, you haven't talk to her in while? What do you mean by that?" His was a little concerned.

"Oh, we were emailing and phoning each other after I went into hiding."

"She never told me anything about it." Clark said, his concern disappearing.

"That's because I asked her not too." Her eyes darted away in embarrassment.

"I understand." Clark replied.

"You do?"

"Yes. You knew that if she told me you were still in the city, I'd come looking for you. I also know there was no way you wanted to see me after what you had done."

Andrea looked at him differently. Not only was he strong, but he showed an intelligence that her only her grandparents, who had lived many years, did. She was about to respond, when she noticed something. He wasn't treading water. "Uh, Clark?"

"Yeah?" he asked

"Do you know that you haven't been treading water? You've been, well, floating in the water for almost five minutes."

Clark looked at himself, she was right. He was floating in the water like he was weightless. He looked back up at the surprised expression on her face. "Isn't that interesting?" He said with a laugh. "Doesn't surprise me too much, ever since I flew across the ocean, I don't get surprised that easily."

"You can fly?" She asked, in utter amazement

Clark dipped his head to the side, and lifted up one corner of his mouth in a sly grin. "Well, yeah, but it wasn't really me. I can't fly anymore, I've tried numerous times since that day, but I can't do it."

Andrea chuckled. "That's too bad. I'd love to be able to fly."

"You be the one to do so then." He laughed. "I'm the one who hates heights."

"Now, that's one thing I don't get about you Clark. You have all these amazing abilities, yet you're afraid of heights."

Clark tried to come up with an explanation but he couldn't. There wasn't really a reasonable excuse he could think of. He just shrugged at her. He floated there for a second, thinking that he might be able to take flight, or at least try, but it was too risky.

Andrea looked right at him for an answer, but when none was forthcoming, she splashed water at him. "Got an answer?"

He splashed her back, making sure not to hurt her. "No, I don't have an answer." He couldn't help but feel like a child being scolded by a parent. "So, giving up on the Vengeance part for good?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"I think so." She replied with all seriousness. "I thought about it long and hard, and now that I'm living with my grandparents, leading a normal life, my mind has changed on what I want." She was glad that she had finally made up her mind.

Clark looked at her with a frown. "Sometimes ignoring your destiny has grave repercussions. Luckily for you, your destiny isn't written in stone."

"And yours is?" She asked laughing.

"Well, actually, it is. I'll show you it some time." His tone was serious.

She stopped laughing when she saw his face. He was serious. There was so much he wasn't telling. She leaned back and rested her hair in the water, allowing the sun to glow on her face. "What about Lois, she doesn't know about your abilities?" Tipping her head back up, she squeezed her hair.

Clark really didn't want to talk about Lois, but he couldn't run from the question. "No, she doesn't know and I'll never tell her. In fact I've never told anyone but my old friend Pete, otherwise the people who know found out themselves."

"You told me."

"No, actually, if you remember I showed you first, told you second." He corrected.

"That's true I guess." She replied. When he had first shown her what he could do, she almost faltered, realizing there were others like her. He was much more than a meteor freak though; he had abilities she could only dream of. "How do you feel about Lois, are you, fond of her?" She could see that he was very uncomfortable with the subject change.

Clark was caught off surprise with the question. He didn't respond right away, trying to articulate his words. "I don't know, she's a friend, although I wouldn't publicly say so. I guess I care for her, but she really bothers me sometimes."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"Good lord no!" He almost shouted. "She would just belittle me. I think just leaving it alone would be good idea."

Andrea could hear the strain in his voice. "Is there anything you do like about her? If there wasn't you wouldn't have come to the beach with her."

Clark thought about it for a second. "She a smart woman and most of all, she can take of herself. It's nice to know that there is someone who can also back you up in times of trouble, much like you are able to."

She was glad that he liked some of Lois's qualities, she was really was a unique woman. "Hey, you're the sidekick remember." She quipped quickly.

He splashed her again. A phone rang; he picked up its sound from the beach. He looked at Lex as he picked up a pink phone. It must have been Andrea's. He could hear the conversation, he recognized the voice. "Chloe just called, Lex is talking to her."

Andrea looked at him with a puzzling frown. She was going to ask him about it, when she heard Lex from back at the beach.

"Drea, It's Chloe!" He shouted across the water.

She looked back at Clark, her eyes wide.

He stared back at her, a grin slapped across his face. "You better talk to her; she's going to want to know why Lex is answering The Angel of Vengeance's cell phone." The last few words came out in a laugh.

"Remember, it's just Andrea, or Drea now." She said, as she swam back to shore.

Clark watched her swim back to shore, knowing that she was just trying to be normal. He knew that feeling all to well and he knew that no matter how much she tried, she'd never be able to achieve her goal.

The phone woke Lois up out of her snooze. The ring seemed to last a few more seconds after Lex had picked it up. She was surprised to hear that it was Chloe. Turning over she saw both Drea and Clark in the water, almost a third way across the lake. Lex had shouted out to Drea, causing her own ear drums to bounce around. She was still in a sleeping state, her senses heightened. Getting up off the towel lazily, she grabbed the phone from Lex's hand. "I'll speak with her while Drea gets back."

Lex was about to object, but she had the phone out of his hand and to her ear before he could.

"Hello Cuz." She said

Chloe: _Lois! _The voice on the other side of the phone yelled, shocked. _What in the world are you doing with Andrea's phone?" _

Lois smiled, knowing that Chloe couldn't see her. "We're at the lake. It's a beautiful day." She was avoiding the question on purpose.

Chloe: _What do you mean you're at the lake? Who's there with you? Is Clark there? _

"Ah, right on the money as always cousin. I invited Lex and his girlfriend to the beach with Clark and me." She paused for moment, waiting for a response. When she got no response she continued. "Did you know Clark and Andrea already knew each other? How weird is that?" Her last sentence came out with sarcasm dripping from her tongue. She could hear Chloe on the other end cough and choke little.

Chloe: _Yes, I did know that Lois. Now, can I talk to her? _She pleaded with an angry tone.

"Calm down Chloe, you sound stressed out. Maybe you should drive and meet us at the beach. You should be here at about, what, let's say after dark?" Lois barked out in laughter

Chloe: _We'll be there in about twenty minutes. We're almost in Smallville._

"What?" Lois asked, surprised. "What do you mean, we?"

Chloe: _Lana and I are driving back for the weekend. It is Friday you know._

Lois was about to pipe back as the phone was ripped out of her hand. Drea shot her a look as she walked away, phone in hand. Lois sneered a little in defense. Chloe was coming, she was glad, but did she have to bring that tool with her? She groaned heavily.

"Something wrong Lois?" Clark asked, walking up to grab his towel.

Lois jumped a little as he snuck up on her. "Smallville! Don't be sneaking up on me like that." She shouted, angry with him. Calming down slightly, she looked over at his wet body. Staring for only a moment, she looked back at Drea, who was talking off in the distance. "Chloe is coming by the lake. She's back for the weekend."

"That's nice." Clark said, looking forward to seeing his best friend again. He hadn't seen her in more than two few weeks.

"She's not alone." Lois added, looking over at Clark. A questioning frown came across his face as she smirked at him. "Lana is coming with her."

Clark groaned even more heavily than Lois, closing his eyes in the process. "I'm going to need earplugs." He said jokingly, putting his sunglasses back on.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

Chloe turned left, her car's steering wheel straightening out as she finished her directional change. It was a warm and sunny day, so she had the roof down and the sunglasses on. The fields of Smallville looked no different than they did almost a month ago. The corn was getting taller, but it was still green. The hard red soybeans were still green too, but the white beans were beginning to turn brown. The trees swayed lightly in the breeze and the dust from the road engulfed anything in her wake.

Looking in the rear view mirror, she could only see dust. The gravel road had yet to be sprayed with calcium, its dust a prime example of that. She thought of closing up the top as the dust cloud began to make its way from where she turned to where she was heading now. Instead, she decided to outrun it. With two firm hands placed a ten and two on the wheel, she punched it, the car's rpm going into the red.

Lana squealed a little as Chloe picked up speed on the gravel road. "Shouldn't you be slowing down Chloe, this is a gravel road." Her voice was barely audible over the sound of the car and wind.

"Only if you want dust in your eyes." She hollered back, her hair blowing around wildly. Cresting a hill, she looked behind to make sure that they had outrun the dust. Pleased that they had, she slowed down, letting the car drift down the hill. Things all of sudden seamed so peaceful. The only sound was the tires bouncing stones left and right, as it sped down the hill.

Chloe looked over at Lana, who was holding onto the door for comfort. It was the first time she was going to see Clark since she had left for school. She also knew it was going to be awkward for them. Lana had made it clear over the past month that it was her idea to break up with Clark, but she wasn't sure if Lana had made the right decision. Lana had been talking about coming back to Smallville with her all week, seemingly excited to see Clark. She smiled a little. She had always thought Clark would be the one to hold onto his feelings, but from the sounds of it, Lois had told her that Clark had put it behind him. Chloe couldn't be sure if she could say the same thing about Lana.

"I don't know if you should have come." She said, looking at Lana.

"Why, do you think it will be too hard on Clark?" She asked, silently hoping it would be.

Chloe could see the look of hope on her face. "No Lana, I think that it might be harder on you."

Lana laughed. "You know full well Clark is still in love with me, he's been in love with me for almost four years. All those feelings he has for me will come rushing back when he sees me."

Chloe almost lost it, her anger rising. Lana was doing it again, trying to play games with Clark's heart. Some day she hoped to god that Clark would just give her the cold shoulder. Lana's entire act was just a mask for the fact that she still loved him.

They pulled up to the beach parking lot, the dust still flying furiously behind them. They slid to a slow halt as she turned off the car. They both stepped out of the car simultaneously. Chloe leaned over into her car to her bag, as did Lana. When she removed her bag and looked up, she saw something tall overtop of Lana's shoulder. Coming towards them was the tall, dark haired man they knew as Clark Kent.

It was Clark, but he looked different. There was more muscle on him than the last time she had seen him without a shirt. He had flip flops on, and his wet hair made her drool a little. The thing that drove her over the edge was the sunglasses. They seemed to give him a confident walk, something she found insanely attractive. Chloe froze at the sight of him, not able to tear her eyes away from his wet glistening body.

Lana looked up to see Chloe staring off into the distance behind her. A look of longing was spread across her face. Frowning at her friend, she tried to get her attention. "Chloe, what is it?" She asked

Chloe only pointed her eyes down to Lana and nodded her head towards what she was looking at.

Lana, still confused, turned around to look at what Chloe was staring at. What she saw drove her wild. The sight of Clark did something to her, his sunglasses, the lack of a shirt. It made her knees buckle. He was so much harder than before, and there was sense of confidence about him. All the feelings she had for him came rushing forward. Unable to keep them in check, she blushed furiously.

Clark stopped in front of Lana, a smile coming to his face. "Hello Lana, so good to see you again." He said, towering over her.

She stepped up to hug him, and he indulged her. The warmth of his embrace made her body tingle all over. "I've missed you Clark." She stated, whispering in his ear.

Clark let go of her, only smiling back. He walked around the car and lifted his best friend up in a tight embrace. He could hear Chloe giggle as he did it.

"Let go before you hurt me Clark." She said, laughing. Her feet hit the ground again and she pulled back to look at him. "It's good to see you Clark. I've missed you."

Clark stared at her, a smile ever showing. "I've missed you too." He replied.

Lana cleared her throat.

Clark looked at her out the corner of his eye. "You too Lana." He said, his smile still showing. He swore he could see her swell up as he said those words.

"You look different Clark." Chloe stated; a little concern etched onto her face.

Clark frowned a little, his mind trying to understand what she was meaning. "What do you mean I look different? It's me, same old Clark." He laughed a little. "Just with a new pair of sunglasses."

"It must be those glasses then, they give you a look of confidence that I've never seen in you before." Chloe grinned at him.

"I think its Lois rubbing off on me, not the glasses." At the mention of Lois's name, he could see out of the corner of his eye, Lana cringing a little.

Lana looked at him, her emotions bouncing around like a pogo stick. "Where did you get the glasses Clark?" She asked, hoping to god it wasn't Lois. Her heart skipped a beat when he told her.

"Lois." He put flatly. He looked from Lana back to Chloe, a sly smile directed at her. "These were her…dancing glasses." He said with a wink.

Chloe burst out into laughter, knowing full well what he was talking about, but Lana just stood their watching Chloe get consumed in her own mirth. Lana looked right at Clark with a heated glare. "Lois danced for you?" She asked, her voice a little tight.

"No, she stripped for me." He replied. He said it so casually that he couldn't help but look at Lana and grin wickedly. The look on her face was priceless. He had never told her about that incident with Lois at the strip club.

Chloe held onto the car when she caught a glimpse of Lana's face, and how mortified she was. Trying to calm herself, she looked at Clark, but the grin he was pointing towards Lana drove her over the edge. She burst out into laughter again, harder than she ever had before in her life. She held onto his arm, all the while giddy that Clark was giving it a little to Lana.

"She did what!?" Lana said in anger, forgetting to keep her emotions in check.

Clark held fast with his grin, and helped a still laughing Chloe walk towards the beach, leaving Lana to fume.

Chloe separated from him, able to walk under her own power. She looked up at a different man, someone who wasn't still stuck in a rut over a girl. "You really are over her aren't you?" She said, happily.

Clark looked down at her. "I am. Thank god."

Chloe smiled wide, proud of her best friend. She knew he could do it. "How did you get over her so quickly?" She asked, a little intrigued.

"It was my doing." She heard her cousin say. Chloe went up to her and gave her a big hug. She hadn't seen Lois in over a month. "Thank you!" She said to her, happy to see her. They pulled apart, and she could see Lois's eyes trail over to Clark.

"I'm not usually in the business of mending little boy's hearts, but this one wouldn't give me a chance not too." Her smirk was beginning to show again. "I let him cry himself to sleep in my arms every night." She winked at Chloe.

Chloe couldn't help but notice Clark's frown, but she knew Lois was only teasing. "How have you been, besides helping mend a broken heart?"

Lois looked over at Clark who was about to blow a gasket. She looked back to Chloe, a smile spread from ear to ear. "I'm just wonderful."

Chloe hugged her again. She noticed Lex and Andrea closer to the water. Pulling back from Lois, she slid by her to greet the two of them.

Lois watched Clark follow Chloe's movement. "You've missed her haven't you?" She asked.

Clark looked back at her, his smile still present. "She's my best friend Lois, of course I missed her."

Lois couldn't help but feel a little hurt. She had considered Chloe her best friend too, but Clark was worth mentioning, even though she would really never say so aloud. "What about Lana?" She asked. "Did you miss her?"

Clark lost his smile. "Not even a little." He replied in a serious tone.

Lois watched as Lana closed the trunk of Chloe's car and came towards them. Turning to Clark, she raised an eyebrow. "Do you ever feel like getting back at her for the way she treated you?"

Clark looked right into her eyes. "You know that I'm not one to hurt someone on purpose." He paused for a second, seeing her eyebrow fall back into place. "I have to admit though; there are times when I think about doing just that."

She smiled evilly, an idea popping into her head. "Well, let's do it to her right now. I have an idea."

Clark looked at her with a scared expression. "What did you have in mind?" He groaned, reluctantly going along with her idea.

Lois turned around and leaned her back up against his chest. She felt her dry skin slide up against his wet body. She was just goofing around, but she didn't know if she would be able to control herself.

Clark tried to step back, completely surprised. "What in the world are you doing?" He stammered.

Lois held onto his arm to keep him from moving. "Just trust me. Now put your arms around my waist." She was shivering a little, but she wanted so much to drive Lana over the edge.

"Lois, I don't know, this is well…." His voice drifted off.

"Just do it." She whispered, half pulling his arms around her.

He tensed up, so nervous about what she wanted. Taking a deep breath, he let himself indulge in her plans. He didn't want to hurt Lana, but he also didn't want to disappoint Lois. He nervously put his arms around her waist, scared to death.

Lois was breathing heavily, not sure if she could go through with it. She slowly raised her arms, draping them around his neck and entwining her fingers together. She could feel his hot breath on her ear. Her body began to tremble, unable to hold steady. She felt she might fall down, instantly regretting her decision to try it. She would have fallen down, but Clark held her up.

Clark's heart skipped a few beats as she leaned her head back to look at him. Her eyes were so incredibly brown and beautiful. He felt the urge to kiss her, but he couldn't do it.

Lois lost herself in his eyes; she was able to see through the sunglasses. His blue iris's swallowed her up like glass full of milk. It was all supposed to be a joke, but she had gotten in over her head. They looked at each other for what seemed like hours. She let down all her barriers, letting him stare into her soul. "Kiss me." She said hoarsely.

He let his head drop lower, his lips getting closer and closer to hers. He pulled up slightly, scared to death. "We don't have to Lois."

"We have to sell it, if only for a few moments." She lied, but she would never tell him that she actually wanted him to kiss her.

Clark swallowed the lump in his throat. "If you say so." He moved closer and closer to her, until their lips met one another in a firestorm of pleasure. Together, they opened and closed their mouths on one another's lips. What was supposed be a kiss to simply push Lana over the edge turned into something more. Suddenly their tongues were groping one another's, there eyes closing as they both let themselves go.

Andrea was talking to Chloe when she heard a scream. She looked behind Chloe to see who it was. Lana was standing in the parking lot, her hands over mouth and her bag thrown across the ground. Andrea looked on in complete shock at the source of her scream. She almost screamed herself. There was Clark and Lois, making out more passionately than Lex and herself ever had. Lois was practically literally off his neck.

"Clark!!" Chloe screamed, mortified at what she was seeing.

Lex began to laugh uncontrollably, his mirth causing him to buckle over.

Lois and Clark continued their assault of one another's mouth as Chloe screamed at them again. They were enjoying themselves too much to pull away. The next scream ripped them apart though. It was Lana again.

Clark pulled back, his head dizzy and nauseated. He opened his eyes to look at the supple features of her face. He couldn't believe they had just done that. It was much more than a revenge kiss; it was something so surreal that he didn't want it to stop. He watched her continue to move her lips as if his were still on them.

Lois opened her eyes; she could still feel his lips on hers. She stared up into his eyes, lust emanating from her own. They stood there looking at one another for almost a minute, trying to read each other's face. She wanted so badly to kiss him again, but she promised herself that it was only to show up Lana. "Clark." She breathed.

"Yeah?" He asked softly. Not letting his eyes wander from hers.

"Do you think it worked?" She didn't want to make it seem like she was in it only for the scheming, but she was too afraid to voice otherwise.

Clark looked up to see the horrified looks on both Andrea and Chloe's faces. Behind them he could see Lex laughing so hard he was doubled over. He looked back to Lois; her eyes had never left him. "I think we freaked out your cousin." His grin was well received.

Lois looked up at him and smiled. She turned a little and looked back to see what kind of reaction Lana was having.

Lana just stood their, tears streaming from her eyes. Her heart was breaking, and in front of all of them.

Lois looked back to Clark; she still had her hands draped around his neck, and his around her waist. "I think it hit her a little harder than I thought." She watched as Clark looked back at Lana, then back to her.

"Wow, I'm surprised she's so upset." He said. "I didn't think she still had feelings for me. I know I wouldn't be very upset if I found her kissing another guy."

"Really?" She asked, disengaging herself from his neck and arms. It wasn't like him to not pine for Lana. He must have really moved on.

Clark nodded, adjusting his sunglasses. "I've realized that since we broke up, I have had it with immature little girls who spend all there time playing stupid games and being whiny. I can live without it."

Lois was looking at him with new found respect. He was more a man than ever. She had always seen a little bit of boy in him, but this day, she was convinced that he actually man. "Don't you care how she is feeling right now?" She wanted to be sure she was right.

"Of course I care how she feels, I care how everyone feels, but she ended it and I thought she was past me. I can't be held accountable for her clinging tendencies."

Lois took a step back, placed her hands on her hips, and looked him up and down. "You surprise me Smallville." She smirked in her own special way.

Clark crossed his arms, a little grin appearing. "Well Ms. Lane, what is so surprising about me. Am I a good kisser?

Lois faltered, her smirk disappearing. That last question was completely unlike anything he would ever say. It caught her off guard. Regaining her composure, she crossed her arms just like him, and shot him a questioning glance. "That." She pointed out. "That's what's so surprising. The way you're acting. You're not brooding, or worrying about what you say. You have a confidence that I've never seen before. It's just a little unsettling."

Clark laughed, unfolding his arms and sticking his hands in his swimming trunk pockets. He couldn't help but sneak a look at her slender but ample body. "Let's just say, that I'm done caring about what people think. I've been so worried about what other people thought of me, I was becoming a pushover, a shrewd."

Lois shook her head in utter amazement. He was whole different person, and she liked it. "What brought this on? Was it what happened this morning?"

"It's a combination of many things really, but the things that have happened today really opened up my eyes."

"What things?" Chloe asked stepping in between them, her eyes still wide. When no one said anything, she sounded again, but with different and more resounding question. "What the hell was that?" She demanded, her face more than showing a little fright.

Clark looked at Lois, he was trying to forget what they had done, but he couldn't help but think about it. Pushing away those emotions, he looked at Chloe and shrugged. "It was Lois idea." He shot Lois a big grin.

She sneered at him when he laughed. She really liked his new attitude. Turning towards Chloe, who was still wide eyed and waiting for answers, she smirked. "We just decided that a little payback for Clark was in order."

Chloe looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She knew Lois would do such a thing, but Clark wouldn't. She looked over at a smiling Clark Kent. "How do you feel about what you just did?" She asked.

"What? You're my mother now Chloe?" He laughed. "To tell you the truth, I couldn't feel better. I know that that sounds horrible, but it's something I just had to do. Such little payback for years of suffering, what we did doesn't even scratch the surface."

Chloe was so befuddled with his lack of caring. "Do you not care that you hurt her feelings Clark?"

"And she hasn't hurt mine!?" He snapped back. "She's been playing with me ever since we broke up, and to tell you the truth, I'm sick and tired of it. If she hasn't moved on, too bad for her, because I have." Clark felt relieved finally being able to put to rest that chapter of his life.

Chloe walked up to him, took off his glasses and looked him right in the eye. "What has gotten into Clark?" Her voice was laden with concern. She leaned up real close to him whispered to him. "Are you on Red Kryptonite?"

Clark stared back at her, and broke out into laughter. He could see she was concerned, but she hadn't been around at all, and had no idea what in the world he was going through. Only Lois did. He stopped chuckling and straightened his face as much as he could. "There is nothing wrong with me."

Chloe stepped back, a little offended by his laughter. "There might not be something wrong with you, but you are different than the last time I saw you."

Clark sighed heavily. "You've been gone for almost a month, people do change. I didn't change much, I only lost 120 pounds off my heart, and when that happens, you feel like a new person. Now, I'm tired of talking about this. Talk to Lois about me if you want, she's been around me the most." He snagged his sunglasses back out of her hands and walked passed her to find his towel.

Chloe walked up to Lois, watching Clark over her shoulder. Turning her attention back to Lois, she glared at her. "What in the world has gotten into him?"

Lois glared back at her, her eyes flaring slightly. "We've been through a lot this morning; I would suggest leaving him alone for now." Her voice had a warning in it.

Chloe looked up at Lois; there was a strange look on her face. "Come on Lois, tell me what happened." She pestered her a little.

"Maybe later Chloe, now is not the time. Let's just enjoy the beach for the afternoon and we'll speak of it later."

"Why can't you tell me now?" Chloe bugged her.

Lois grunted in displeasure as she turned to walk away.

Chloe grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Just tell me, whose idea was it to kiss?"

Lois looked back at her, her smirk firmly in place. "It was mine." She stated, removing her arm from her grip and following after Clark, who was heading down the pier with his towel in hand.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

Chloe stood there confused; not only by the way Clark was acting, but by the Lois was avoiding her. There was something going on and she was hell-bent on finding out what it was. She stared at Lois who followed Clark off to the pier, her pony tail bouncing around as she tried to keep up with him. Chloe told herself she was going to strangle it out her is she had to.

Andrea, seeing the look on Chloe's face snapped her attention back to her and Lex. "Chloe? Chloe?" She asked again and again.

"What?" Chloe said, trying not to take her eyes of Lois and Clark.

Andrea waited for Chloe's eyes to reach hers. There was a look of utter confusion smeared across her face. She couldn't help but smile a bit. The look on her face was priceless. She knew that Chloe hated not having the answers. "Are you okay?" She asked her friend, worried that Chloe might go of the wall.

"I-I don't know." Chloe replied, her voice shaky and rattled. "What in the world just happened?" Her eyes darted away from Andrea and back to Lois again.

Andrea didn't have much of an answer, but she tried to divulge in her a weak inkling. "I'm not very sure myself Chloe, but all I know is that some strange things happened to the two of them this morning, and since then they've both been acting weird."

"What happened this morning?" Chloe asked, turning her attention back to Andrea.

"I have no idea. Clark never told me what happened, but I didn't really ask either."

Chloe frowned, she wanted answers. "I could swear they were being defensive about something." A dirty thought popped into her head suddenly. "You don't think…?" She asked, trailing off into silence. Her mind was running over the scenario over and over again.

Andrea's eyes went wide at the thought; she didn't know what to say in return, her own mind considering the possibility.

Lex sounded when the other two didn't say anything. "Don't be silly." He reassured them. "If Clark and Lois had sex, there is no way in hell they would want to around each other. Clark is way too uncomfortable in dealing with such things."

Andrea tried to voice her agreement, but was at a loss for words. She could only nod her head in agreement as she looked up at him. He was right, she knew it, but stranger things had happened in her life. It wasn't that far fetched that Clark and Lois had slept together. They were around each other almost twenty-four hours a day.

Lex looked out to the parking lot where Lana was trying to pick up her things. "I think I'll go give Lana a hand. She doesn't seem so sure of herself at the moment."

Andrea watched as her man left them, walking over to give Lana a hand with her things. She turned around to Chloe again, her mind ready to ask questions. Before she could begin, Chloe started up, as if reading her mind.

"I just don't get it. I mean, if they slept together they would be avoiding each other like the plague." Suddenly a thought popped into her inquisitive mind. "You don't think she somehow found out his secret?" Her mind was racing a mile a minute.

Andrea put her fears to rest. "No, I'm confident he didn't. I was talking to him earlier and he told me that only a few people knew, and Lois wasn't one of them."

Chloe let a sigh of relief as she shouldered her bag again, thankful that Lois didn't know. She had no idea how Lois would handle such a thing. Being defensive about Clark would make a good case for her knowing his secret, but that wasn't the case. There was something else between the two of them and she badly needed to know.

The former Angel of Vengeance could do nothing but smile at her. She couldn't offer up a better explanation about what had just transpired. "I just can't believe he'd do such a thing, just to hurt Lana." She looked at Chloe pleadingly.

Chloe could only nod, her eyes searching for answers on Andrea's face. "It's just not like him. He would never do anything to hurt Lana, but what he just did tore out her heart and slammed it to the floor with conviction. I didn't think he could ever be so cold. Truthfully, it scares the life out of me. I'm gone a whole month and he's a completely different person." She was almost pleading for answers from Andrea, knowing full well she could only get them from Clark or Lois. "Maybe I'll speak to his parents about it later. They might be able to tell me something."

Andrea could only nod her head in agreement. She was just as concerned with what had just happened, but she wasn't going to let it ruin her day. It was just too beautiful outside to let it get under her skin. "Let's just forget about for the afternoon. It is a wonderful day to be brooding on this."

Chloe wanted to have a good afternoon, but she wasn't sure she could. What had just transpired was gnawing away at her stomach. "I guess you're right." She lied, not showing her true emotions. "I could use a day of relaxation after a month of school."

Andrea smiled, she knew Chloe was biting her words, but she didn't bother to ask why. She knew why. "Well then, let's go back to the towels and lie down; I'm still not done my tan." Her voice was cheery, but her eyes were relaying her true feelings.

Lex bent down to pick up Lana's bag. Her shaking hand knocked up against his as he grabbed it. He looked up at her wet face and tried to feel sympathy for her. "Are you okay Lana?" He asked, knowing full well that she wasn't. He just didn't know what else to say.

Lana quickly snatched the bag from his hands as she rooted through it to make sure everything was still in it. Her heart had just been torn asunder and he was asking her if she was okay. "What do you think?!" She snapped at him, her voice loud and angry. "I just saw the man I love, yes that's right, I still love him, kiss another woman. How do you think I feel?" She shook slightly, her words being choked out between tears.

Lex wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell it was all going to be okay, but he couldn't do it, his mind was made up that he wasn't going to feel sorry for her. He had to fight every urge in his body to scold her about her actions over the past months and how she probably deserved what she got.

Lana stood there staring at him. His blank expression told her everything she needed to know. "You think I deserve this don't you. You all think that don't you?" Her voice was cracking as she got angrier.

Lex couldn't lie to her; he wasn't in the mood to be yelled at. "To tell you the truth Lana, yes, you deserve it." The words ate away at his stomach, but he couldn't hold them down there forever.

Lana stumbled back, shocked at how he was talking to her. Did she have no friends left? "How- how could you be so cold?" She asked, her eyes watering again.

Lex could only sigh in frustration; this little girl had a lot of growing up to do. "Come on Lana, you don't think the way you've been treating him has anything to do with it? You string him along like a toy and expect him to profess that he still has feelings for you, just because you're too much of a chicken to say you still love him. Come one, grow up."

His words bit into her like a lighting bolt, searing her insides. She knew Lex could be abrasive and cruel at times, but he was just being downright mean. "Lex, I never meant to hurt him, I just wanted to keep him in my life. I just couldn't' picture him with someone else."

Lex shook his head in sadness. "You're being selfish, just like a child Lana. You're almost twenty and you still act like you're eleven. I sometimes wonder if you really care about others, or if you are really as selfish as you come across."

She couldn't take his accusations and questions anymore; she was too upset to even speak to him. In her mind she was only doing what she thought was right. Clark belonged to her. He had told her that she was the only one he had ever loved. "Now he and Lois are together, this is my worst nightmare." She screamed at Lex.

Lex closed his eyes in frustration. "They're not together Lana."

Lana looked right at him, her stare penetrating his defenses. "Then they did it just to hurt me?" she asked, hoping to god that she was wrong. From the hesitation from Lex, she got the answer she wasn't looking for. "How could he?!!" She screamed; running back to the car.

"Where are you going?" Lex asked, concerned she might do something stupid.

Lana got into Chloe's car, hopeful that keys were still in the ignition. She smiled through her tears when she found they were. She started the engine and backed up to pull out of the parking spot. Just before she pulled away, she looked straight at Lex, her eyes glistening with tears. "To talk to someone who cares." She said loudly, before disappearing in a cloud of dust.

Lex stood there and watched her speed out of the parking area. He knew she was upset, but he hoped that she wouldn't do anything that might hurt herself.

Chloe and Andrea turned around quickly when she heard her car speed out of the parking lot. The dust was flying as she saw Lana speeding away, Lex just standing there, watching her leave. She looked back at Andrea with shock. "What in the world is she doing taking my car?" She asked, pleading for an answer.

Andrea didn't have an answer. She could only look at Chloe's facial expression and shrug her shoulders.

Lex came walking up to them, his hands still in his pockets. "I hope she doesn't hurt herself." He said.

Andrea looked over at his worried face. "What happened?" She asked, seeing the concern all over his face.

Lex looked at both of them. "I told her that she needed to grow up and stop acting like a child." He didn't regret his words.

Chloe looked at Lex, he was brutally honest sometimes, and she admired him for that. "How did she react?"

Lex shrugged a little. "She took it badly, she was really upset." He almost laughed, but it wouldn't be appropriate. "Then she figured it out that Lois and Clark only kissed to hurt her."

Andrea closed her eyes in pain. She didn't think that Lex would be so straight forward and somewhat cruel, but she understood how Lana was and she was sort of glad he was a little mean to her.

"Where is she going?" Chloe asked; her voice full of concern.

Lex shrugged again. "She said she was going to find someone who cares."

Chloe sighed heavily. She had no idea what Lana was going to do, but it wasn't going to be good. "Well, as Andrea said only a few minutes ago, let's not worry about this right now. Let's just enjoy the afternoon." She hid her true feelings like before, but this time more convincingly.

"Sounds like a good idea." Lex replied, heading back towards his towel.

Lois chased after Clark, her own towel in hand. She didn't really know why she was going after him, but she didn't feel that standing around and enduring Chloe's questions. It's not that she couldn't answer them, she was just afraid to tell her the truth, terrified that she would be admitting her feelings.

Clark, a little perturbed at Chloe, had had enough of her questions. She wanted an explanation, but he couldn't really give her one. He didn't even understand what was going on with himself. Setting his towel down on the pier post, he sat on the edge of the dock, his feet dangling over the edge. He sat there staring into the water, trying to get his mind clear.

He heard footsteps behind him as he dipped a foot into the water. "Chloe, please, I don't want to talk." He said, sure it was her.

"It's just me Smallville." Lois said. She walked up to him and sat beside him, her toes tickling the top of the water. She stared into the distance, her eyes focusing on nothing in particular. Moments passed as they sat quietly, both running over thoughts in their mind, trying to piece together the puzzle known as life.

Lois grew ever more uncomfortable with the lingering silence. She turned to look at him. The hopeless and lost look on his face made her want to hold him, but she restrained herself from doing so. "What's wrong?" She asked, not sure why she was asking.

Clark knew she was concerned, and he knew he could trust her, but in his mind he wasn't sure if he could share his thoughts with her. She was always there though, whenever he needed her. He would never admit that he needed her, but somehow he knew she knew that. If it wasn't for her, he would still be pining for Lana.

He sighed in resignation, knowing that he would have to say something. He decided to be honest for a change. "I don't know Lois. I just feel as if things are not within my control anymore."

Lois, a little surprised that Clark wasn't holding back, pried a little further. "What kind of things?" She asked, making sure she didn't make fun of him. Normally she would have, but the situation felt different.

Clark couldn't help but feel awkward, he and Lois were friends, but he didn't know how she would treat him if he opened up to her. She always made fun of him, and he wouldn't be able to take it with the way he was feeling. He just stayed quiet, reluctant to answer her question.

Lois could see that he was starting to pull away; she didn't want him to bottle up his thoughts. She placed her hand on his arm awkwardly. The warmth of his arm made her blush slightly. "It's okay Clark, I won't bite." She said with a little laugh. Her hand was still holding firm onto his forearm.

Clark fidgeted slightly at her touch. Why was she being so caring? He asked himself. Not knowing why, he wanted to pry on her for an answer, but he knew he would have to answer her question before he could ask his own. He removed his arm from her touch and looked right into her eyes. They were round with anticipation, glowing softly in the afternoon sunlight. "Many things." He replied to her question.

She watched as he looked back out to the water. "Specifically?" She asked, genuinely concerned for his well being.

He continued to stare out at the water while he answered her. "What happened in the Talon this morning, it has me on edge. Then when we almost died, I felt as if something is trying to tell me that I should be living my life the way I want to, and not be acting the way others want, or think I should be." It felt great to finally get it off his chest, but he was scared about how Lois would react. He had never talked to her this way before.

Lois understood. "I know how you feel Clark." She replied, looking out into the water herself. "When we almost died this morning, all the boundaries that I put up around myself evaporated. At that moment I stopped acting like my father had taught me to, strong and independent, and I broke down, showed my real emotions." It took all her courage just to get that out of her, but as soon as she did, she felt closer to him than she could have ever thought.

Clark rested his hands on the dock and arched his back a little. This was side of Lois that he had never seen before, and it scared him. The events of the morning had awoken a side of themselves that they were both uncomfortable with, but he knew that their friendship would be stronger for it. "I guess we are both a little scared about what we saw in each other today." His words trailed off as he pondered what he had just said.

Lois was caught off guard about what he had just said. It was so unlike him; it only reinforced what he had just said. Lois looked over at him and stared at his solemn face. "We both put up a wall around ourselves Clark." She said, pausing for a moment. "We do it to protect those around us, to make them feel as though they need not fear or worry about us. To make them feel as if we are invincible."

Clark stared back at her, his eyes tracing her facial features, trying to understand how she could be so correct with her statement. He wasn't surprised she was so insightful though, she always had a knack for knowing what he was feeling. They were alike in so many ways that it scared him. She knew him better than even Chloe did, and he was thankful she was around. God, how he wanted to tell her that, but was too scared to.

"I'm just scared Lois. For the first time in my life, I'm scared." It took all he had just to admit that to her. He was terrified at how she was going to react.

Lois knew how hard it was for him to admit such a thing. He always put on a brave face when around others. Without thinking, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Me too." She whispered, closing her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10

Clark sat uncomfortably, Lois's head on his shoulder. He wanted so badly to lean over and smell her hair. Indulging in his urges, if only somewhat, he looked down at her. She had her eyes closed and was breathing softly. He admired how peaceful she looked, the way her lips seemed to pout slightly when she inhaled each time. The rise and fall of her chest aroused him a little as he tried to fight his emotions. Unable to control them, he slid from her head and the pier, into the water.

The cool water brought a nice sensation of longing. The water rippled around him as he turned around to look at Lois, who still had her eyes closed, her head leaning as if still on his shoulder. She looked so happy; he didn't want to disturb her. He couldn't resist though. With a whack of his hand, he sent a cascade of water hurtling towards her.

Lois snapped out of her reverie when a rush of water slammed into her body. Wait, she said to herself. She wasn't in the water. She opened her eyes to see she was alone, but wet. How? She cursed to herself. Where was Clark? Searching from left to right, she looked for his presence. Unable to find him, she frowned. She was having a good time just resting her head on his shoulder, and then he disappeared. She swung her feet back and forth in the water. On her second swing she hit something hard, her heel throbbing in pain. "Ouch." She yelped.

Clark came out from under the dock and looked up at Lois. He rubbed his head as if he was hurt. "Did you just kick me?" He asked, his eyebrows rising slightly.

Lois lifted her foot up to rub it with her hand. "Maybe, but it felt as if I hit a rock." Her heel was throbbing uncontrollably, the blood pulsating as a bruise began to appear.

Clark gulped a little water in his mouth and squirted it a Lois, getting her a little wetter. "You always said I was hard headed." His grin had shown up.

She kicked water at him before she put her foot back into the water. "Just be careful where you put that hard head of yours. Before you know it I'll crack it open and I'll have to spoon feed you for the rest of your adult life." She smirked at him, knowing he was only lightening the mood.

"Spoon feed me? I think I'd prefer a fork, spoons are for babies." He dipped under the water and came back up.

"And what makes you think you'd be able to use a fork. If I cracked your skull, you more than likely wouldn't have any teeth, hence the spoon." She tried to push him a little.

Clark laughed a little. "I'd just wear dentures; this way if your fingers got close to my mouth I could bite your fingernails for you." He winked at her, smiling wide.

Lois laughed; her feelings of fright that both Clark and she had shared disappeared. She kicked her feet back and forth quickly, the water from her forceful kicking splashing onto him. She was going to stop, but he was turning away coughing and avoiding the steady stream of water. She giggled in delight and continued to kick. She was caught up in her act when she felt him grab her ankle. With a good yank, she was swallowed up by the cold lake. She came up with a sharp gasp, both surprised at what he had done, and at the temperature of the water.

He swam away from her a little as she began to kick out frantically. He laughed again, letting her fume in front of him. He splashed a little water at her. He knew she was going to get him back, but he couldn't resist.

Lois coughed and sputtered some more as he splashed her again. With all her strength, she went to hit him playfully. Before she knew it he had disappeared again. She turned around in circles, looking for him. She felt something brush up against her leg. She jumped a little, almost drowning herself in fright. It was just a fish she reassured herself.

Clark swam underneath her, staring up at her bottom. This isn't right he told himself, he shouldn't be staring at her that way. Shaking himself, he tickled the bottom of her feet.

Lois squirmed mightily as she felt something tickle her feet. That had to be Clark, but when she ducked her head under the water to look, he was nowhere to be found. Again she squirmed, this time something tickled the back of her knee. She swung around in the water, looking for Clark again. She grunted in her frustration at not being able to find him. Her anger turned to fear when she realized he had been under water for more than three minutes.

"Clark?" She asked, hoping that he was okay. When she looked to the shore and saw only Lex, Andrea, and Chloe. "Clark?" She asked again, this time almost frantic, scared that he may have drowned. When she heard no answer again, she panicked, fearing he was on the bottom of the lake. She was about to dive down and look when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Lois?" Clark asked, his hand resting softly on her shoulder from behind.

She almost drowned herself when he surprised her. She spun around and slapped him hard across the face, furious with him. "You were gone for three minutes!" she screamed. "I thought you drowned." She held her hand as pain was coursing through it. Clark didn't even have a mark on his face. She realized that he hadn't even flinched. "I slapped you hard enough to break your jaw, yet you don't even flinch. I hurt myself more than I hurt you." Her anger dissipated a little as she awaited an answer.

Clark only smiled at her. He didn't think she would hit him that hard, but he also knew that whatever answer he gave she wasn't going to believe. "You're the one who said I was made out of oak earlier. I think you just proved your point." He smiled at her with his ridiculous grin.

Lois couldn't help but let all her anger disappear. That Kent smile was playing to her soft spot again. "I swear Smallville, the next time you do that, I'm going to string you up by your hide." It came out more seriously than she wanted, but he didn't seem to notice, he was still grinning at her. She melted a little, forgetting the cold water as she stared into his eyes.

Clark was uncomfortable with the stare down, so he swam backwards, not knowing what else to do.

"Where are you going?" She asked, swimming back towards him.

"How long can you hold your breath?" He asked, changing the subject.

Lois was a little confused by his question. "Why do ask?"

"Don't worry; just tell me how long you can hold your breath."

Lois looked at him strangely. "Not as long as you can." She quipped. When she noticed his grin falter a little, she answered his question. "A minute I think."

Clark nodded. "Do you trust me?" He asked directly.

She was concerned with his sudden forwardness. "Why, what's going on."

Clark sighed heavily. "Just answer the question Lois." He said roughly, losing his patience.

Seeing how his mood darkened, she answered quickly. "Yes, I trust you."

"Good." He stated, his grin coming back. "I want to show you something. Hold onto my hand and I will take you there. Don't worry, if you need some air, just pinch me and I'll give you a little."

Lois was worried, but too curious not to let him take her hand. When he grabbed her hand, she felt its warmth and size. She nodded that she was ready. With a sudden downward force, she was swimming down to the bottom of the lake; Clark was half pulling her along. They came to the bottom, by the pier. It wasn't very deep, but she was scared a little.

Clark, sensing her discomfort, squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Lois noticed an opening at the pier post. It was big enough to fit through. Oh no she thought to herself. He wasn't planning on taking her into it. She tried to back away, struggling to get away from his grip, but he pulled her closer. Turning to look at her she could see his pleading expression. She didn't like tight spaces, but it was Clark, he would never intentionally put her in harms way.

He was about to pull her into the hole, when she pinched his leg. He turned around, got close to her and put his lips to hers. He let out some of the air in his lungs, filling hers to capacity. He pulled away, and nodded. When she nodded back, he pulled her through the hole with him, his vision picking up the path in the dark.

Lois clenched his hand tighter, scared that he might let go. They swam through the hole as it got bigger. She couldn't see a thing, but she could feel rock with her other hand. Suddenly she could feel him pulling her upward, as if to the surface. It was still pitch black as they crest the surface of the water. "Where are we?" She asked as Clark disengaged his hand from hers. She panicked a little when she couldn't feel his touch anymore.

Clark looked over to a rock and found what he was looking for. With his back turned to Lois, he lit the lamp with the lighter than was there. Instantly, the cavern shone with a bright yellow light

She was about to call his name, but before she did, a yellow light engulfed the cavern where they were. The light bounced of each wall as the as she saw him place it on a rock. She looked around the cavern. It was no more than fifteen feet high, but for the lack of height, it made up in width. "Wow." She breathed, her throat tightening a little as she took in the grandeur.

"That was my first reaction when I saw it too." He said, staring at her with a smile.

"Where are we?" she asked, her curiosity taking over.

"Under the parking area I think." He said looking around the cavern. "I found this about two months ago."

Lois couldn't take her eyes of the splendid colors that were shining off the rocks. "What kind of minerals are these?" She asked, looking at the strange and alien colors.

Clark swam close to her, his voice echoing off the walls. "I'm not sure." He lied. He knew they were from his home planet, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

Lois couldn't tear her eyes away from the ceiling. "How did this come to be?" She asked, fully expecting not to get an answer. Clark certainly wasn't a geologist. She was surprised when he gave her an answer.

"When the first meteor shower came, a piece of it broke away from the large piece that created the lake. It hit the ground first, sliding its way forward. When the main piece hit behind it, it created a wall of rock between the two holes. The meteor that created this hole was sharp and narrow, but long, it burrowed under the ground rather than making a bowl in the earth." He stopped, and pointed behind him to the far end of the cavern, where the roof sloped upwards. "If you look closely, you can see the green meteor is the back wall." He made sure to stay far enough away from it to affect him.

Lois looked at the end wall and how the ceiling sloped upwards gradually as it reached the back wall. "How is this possible that the roof goes up, not down? The meteor came down to earth, not up out of it."

Clark swam around a little. "I would guess that it ricocheted off something harder below, and went upwards a little."

"You guess?" She asked, looking back at him. "You know how this place is created, yet you can only guess on this?" She was teasing him, but only slightly.

Clark splashed water at her, causing the sound to ripple off the walls. "Do you like it?" he asked.

Lois could only look at his face and smile back. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Clark seemed to swell up, his pride at finding this place, and finally being able to show some one, coming through. "We had best get back. Time tends to have no limits in here."

She looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean? We've only been down here few minutes.

Clark smiled at her. "Actually, we've been down here almost twenty minutes."

Lois was shocked. She swam up close to him and took his arm in her hand. Turning it so that she could read his watch, she noticed it wasn't working. "Why isn't your watch working?" She asked, confused.

Clark removed his arm from her grip. "There is some kind of mineral down here that affects digital and mechanical frequencies. Please don't ask me how I know that, it's the only reason I can come up with."

Lois was only intrigued to know more. "These meteors did come from another time in space Smallville, it only makes sense that they have strange characteristics."

"You're right about that." He said, his voice still bouncing off the ceiling and walls. "We better go." He reiterated. "We can come back anytime you want, but I'm sure the others are wondering where we are."

She didn't want to leave, it was all too beautiful. She didn't respond, but she knew they had to go. She felt his hand grip hers again. Just his touch made her tingle all over. Suddenly the cavern went dark again, and Clark started to pull her down into the water.

Chloe looked off into the water, searching for signs of both Lois and Clark. It had been almost ten minutes since they realized they were both missing. She wasn't too concerned, she knew Clark could take care of Lois, but she needed to act scared for Lex and Andrea. Andrea didn't know the extent of Clark's abilities.

"Do you see them?" Lex yelled, from back at the beach.

Chloe, who stood at the end of the dock, answered. "I don't see them." She tried to act like she was worried, but it didn't come out that way. She leaned over slowly to look into the water. Suddenly, two people popped out of the water right below her. In mute surprise, she fell forward into Clark and Lois.

Clark, seeing Chloe fall towards him, pushed Lois away from him as he tried to cradle Chloe as she fell into the water. They went under the water together, her body weight forcing him downwards. If he hadn't caught her, she might have drowned from shock. Coming back up to the surface, he lifted her head above the water.

Chloe coughed and spit out the water in her throat and mouth. She was still in her regular clothes, not bothering to change into her swimsuit yet. It didn't matter now, she was soaking wet from head to toe. She opened her eyes to see Clark, carrying her out of the water and onto the beach. There stood Andre and Lex, both happy to see that she was alright, and that Lois and Clark were okay too.

Clark set Chloe down on her towel. She was only slightly shaken, but she would survive without much difficulty. Looking up at those above her, she frowned at being fretted over. "Come on, I'm not a baby, I can take care of myself." She stood up to prove she was fine. Wobbling a bit, she removed her wet hairclip and allowed her hair to fall around her face loosely.

Clark stood up with her. Seeing that she was fine, he headed back towards the pier to get his and Lois's towels. He heard footsteps behind him as he walked. Turning around to look, he noticed Lois was following him, again. "Are you stalking me?" He asked, his laughter almost coming through.

Lois caught up with him, her hips swaying frantically as she reached him. "No Smallville, I was just wondering if I should tell everyone else about what you showed me. What do you think?"

Clark snorted a chuckle. "When did you begin to care about what I think?"

Lois punched him in the shoulder. "Don't play with me, I'm serious."

Clark stopped at the end of the pier and picked up both towels. He tossed hers at her. "It's your choice whether or not you want tell others. I've known about the place for almost two months and you're the only one I've told."

Lois caught the towel and began to dry herself off. "Well, I guess if you kept it a secret, I guess I can keep it to. It's nice to know something that others don't, especially when it comes to something like that." She grinned. It would be their little secret.

Clark smiled inwardly. She was usually loose lipped about such things, but he could see she was serious. Wrapping the towel around his neck, he grabbed both ends on his chest with each hand. "I appreciate it Lois."

"No problem Smallville." She smirked, her hair still clinging to her back. She raised her arms up to dry her hair. Her bikini lifted her breasts up; she couldn't help but notice Clark staring at her. She didn't want to scare him away, so she pretended not to notice.

Clark watched her dry her hair. His eyes glanced down to stare at her chest. He couldn't tell if she knew he was looking, but he glanced away before she could catch him. Smiling a little, he heard the sound of vehicles coming down the road. Without even thinking, he turned to Lois. "There are people coming." He blurted it out before he could think of a good excuse for knowing. He knew Lois was going to bug him about it.

Lois stopped drying herself and looked at Clark with a puzzling frown. "What do you mean there are people coming? She looked around the lake. "I don't see anyone."

"Listen carefully Lois. Block out all noises and just focus on what is in the background." He knew she didn't have super hearing, but he was sure that anyone could be trained to listen better. It was a mind over matter issue. "Can you hear them?" He asked after a few moments of watching her try to pick up the noise of the vehicles.

She shook her head and frowned at him. "Quit playing Smallville, you're getting cruel. Making fun of my hearing and trying to tell me that there are people coming. Geesh!"

"Lois, I'm serious. Just wait thirty seconds and you'll see them." He looked seriously at her.

She laughed at him, how in the world could he hear vehicles coming down the road? She began to laugh again, but stopped abruptly when she heard a vehicle in the distance. She tried to focus her ears to the sound again, but she couldn't pick it up. "I heard it too, only briefly though." She said, looking directly at Clark.

"I told you." He replied, a grin widespread on his face.

"I think you're just playing with me. You are, aren't you?" She said, confident she hadn't heard what she thought she had.

"I'm serious Lois. They should be here in a couple seconds."

Sure enough, seconds later almost a dozen cars came into the parking lot. The dust that was flying around clouded their movement, but Lois could see how many of them there were. She looked back to Clark, who was grinning at her, proud of his win over her. "How in the world could you hear them Smallville?"

Clark shrugged. "It takes practice. If you stay quiet, which I know is a problem for you; you can learn to pick up even the slightest sounds. The key is to block everything out around you."

Lois looked at him with amazement. "You believe that anyone can do this?"

"Yes, but they need to practice." He lied, but she was going along with it.

"How much did you practice?" She asked, curiosity taking over.

Clark looked over to the many people exiting their vehicles. "I didn't really practice. I spent so much time in my loft by myself; I just sort of picked it up. It's hard to explain, but all I know is that can teach you how to do it." The last words spewed out of his mouth in a hurry, before he could think about what he was saying.

Lois weighed what he had proposed. It would be nice to learn some abilities that weren't physically demanding. Her father had taught her how to be quick, agile and smart, but Clark was offering her a chance to try and become more aware. She loved being able to do things that others couldn't. "Sure Smallville, I'll let you teach me, but don't expect me to be able to do it."

Clark nodded. "I don't expect much in terms of results, but even the slightest improvement in anyway is good. Most people lose their hearing, not gain any."

"So when do we start?" She asked, kidding only slightly.

"When you find yourself in a situation where you want to hear something, but it is just out of your grasp. I won't sit you down like a teacher and try to drill knowledge into you. I think that would only infuriate you." He grinned at her wickedly, his tongue poking out his lips ever so slightly. Lois was serious about it, and now he had to make up a bunch of bull to tell her. Cursing to himself, he began to walk back to the beach.

Lois was beside him in a second. "High School kids." She sighed. The day wasn't going as well as she had hoped.

Clark looked over at her. "They're almost our age Lois; you don't have to talk about them as if they're locusts." He could see she didn't like little immature high school kids. The noise became louder as the seniors came onto the beach. There were almost thirty of them.

Lois grunted her displeasure as she walked by some of them, their eyes staring at her almost naked body. "Pigs." She said under her breath as she glared at each and every one of them.

Clark laughed; he heard what she had said.

She stared over at Clark in wonderment. He couldn't have just heard her. "You heard that?" She asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

"I did." He replied, his head turning to her. The grin on his face was priceless.

Lois was about to say something back when she noticed a gaggle of young girls pass by them, their eyes inspecting every inch of Clark. A pang of jealously went through her body. She shook her head slightly. What did she have to be jealous for? Clark wasn't hers. She could see Clark blushing, and she knew that was her opportunity to badger him a little. "Have a soft spot for the young ones Smallville?" She teased him around her little finger.

Clark blushed, a deep red. This was the Lois he knew, the Lois he expected. "I, well, they were staring at me first." He tried to hide what he really felt.

"Oh, don't play stupid with me. You're ecstatic aren't you?" She could see that she was making him more uncomfortable by the word. She pushed on. "I swear, the way they were looking at you, you could probably go through all of them in an afternoon." She knew she had pushed him too far with that comment, but she couldn't resist.

Clark almost fell. Was she serious? He asked himself. Regaining his footing as they walked, he looked over at Lois. Her smile was making him angrier by the second. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" He almost yelled it at her.

Lois strode a little more confidently. "Now, what kind of fun would that be?" She said, the sarcasm hanging off her every word. "I swear, you just need to let yourself go buck wild sometimes Smallville." She walked backwards in front of him, her face looking into his angry features. With a shove to his chest, she pushed him back a little. "Go on; find yourself a youngling to vent your sexual frustration on."

Clark couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was like Lois, but she was pushing him to the edge of erupting in anger. The things she was saying were so absurd and rude. He had half the mind to just turn around and do exactly what she was telling him to do.

They got near the others on their towels, but before they sat down, she couldn't resist taking another jab at him. He was so easy. "I bet you don't even know how to approach a woman." She laughed loudly.

Clark stood there staring at her. She was really getting on his nerves. He thought she would never shut up. He knew how to shut her up though. He stopped just before they got to Lex, Andrea, and Chloe. He wasn't about to let Lois get the last laugh. He turned around abruptly, stopping for only a second as he headed back in the direction of the young girls.

Lois, surprised, yelled to him. "Where are you going?" She demanded. She watched and listened as he looked at her over his shoulder.

"Why, taking your advice of course." He said it with such seriousness that it got the reaction out of Lois that he wanted. Smiling to himself, he continued towards the giggling young girls that were staring at him.

Lois watched a retreating Clark Kent, her horror at what he just said registering in her mind. Her poking fun had finally driven him over the edge. Now she watched as young infatuated little girls were hanging off his every word. "What have done?" She cursed to herself. Turning around to look at the others behind her, she couldn't help but notice their puzzled faces.

"What in the world is he doing?" Chloe asked.

Lois was barely able to speak. "I was badgering him as usual, and I pushed him over the edge." She turned around again to look at Clark. He was now conversing casually with more than three young ladies.

"What the hell did you say to him Lois?" Chloe demanded.

"I-I told him to go and release his frustration on one of those young bimbos." Her voice rose slightly when she had said frustration.

The others picked up on it and stared at her wide eyed.

It was Andrea's turn to say something. "He actually listened to what you said?"

Lois shook her head quickly. "No, he was disgusted as I expected him to be, but I couldn't keep myself from going one further."

Chloe groaned heavily. "I don't think I want to know what you said, but I just can't help myself."

Lois looked at all three of them. "I essentially told him he wasn't a man. I bet him that he didn't even know how to approach a woman he didn't know."

Andrea and Chloe groaned in unison, their sounds of displeasure ringing in Lois's ear.

Lex chuckled a little.

Lois looked at Lex with a deathly stare. "What are you laughing at?" She almost screamed.

"That." He said, pointing his nose forward.

Lois turned around to see three young girls practically hanging of Clark; their body's leaning up against him. She almost screamed, but she looked back at Lex, Andrea and her Cousin. "What in the world do you think he is going to do?" She asked, mortified.

Lex could only chuckle again. "All three of them, I think…"


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

Lois sat there, enduring the madness that was Clark Kent. She watched him being flaunted over by numerous high school women with big boobs and perky attitudes. She silently seethed; her teeth clenched together so tight she thought her might jaw might crack under the pressure. She tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. She didn't want anyone seeing that she was so upset over a simple farm boy.

She hadn't moved from her position in almost half an hour, so focused on watching Clark, she didn't even take the time to re-apply her sun screen. Now she was feeling the sun more and more on her tan skin. In a matter of minutes she would begin to burn. She grabbed the sun screen that was lying beside Chloe, and squirted a little into her hand. The sun screen was warm, but the fragrance more than made up for it. The watermelon scented sun screen went well on her body. She spread the white liquid all over her body, including her nose and ears.

The whole action of applying sun screen only delayed her fascination with watching what Clark was doing. She stared at him, continuing to shoot daggers from her eyes.

Clark was having a blast. Not only did these girls enjoy his company, they bent to his every will. He had no idea why they were so into him, but he certainly did enjoy it. He couldn't even remember their names. He felt guilty about that, but he was too nervous to ask them now. With his left hand, he went to scratch his stomach.

The brunette, whose hair was curly and full, removed his hand from his stomach and began to scratch the spot for him. He groaned a little in pleasure. He was uncomfortable with such affection in such a public place. The other two women, who were twins he guessed, were sitting above each one of his shoulders, messaging his back in slow circles. The three women were in incredible shape for high school students. The blond twins had magical finders he thought, closing his eyes.

He was enjoying himself thoroughly when a thought came into his mind. Where are the other people? He opened his eyes and looked around for any sign of other students. There was no one in sight. He could only see the girls tending to him, and his friends behind him, smiling at him. Lois on the other hand was staring at him, her jaw clenched. He frowned a little at her, trying to get her attention.

Lois dropped her visage for a moment when Clark looked right at her. A worried look was spread across his face. She wanted to glare back at him angrily, but she could see something was bothering him. She was about to open her mouth and talk to him, but he lifted his hand and mimicked turning down a stereo. It was her cue to whisper. It was a good time to try and focus her hearing. Lex, Andrea and Chloe were fully enveloped in their own conversation, so she whispered loudly, but just soft enough so that they couldn't hear her. "What is it Clark, Is there something wrong?" The last few words came out in disgust, as she noticed the three bimbos relaxing around him.

Clark could hear her clear as day, but he couldn't chance saying anything, even in a whisper, if he was sure about his inkling. He noticed the three ladies were turned, looking towards the water. He looked at Lois, and then pointed to the three girls subtly. He turned his hand over as if confused. He frowned at the same time, hoping that Lois understood what he meant.

Lois watched him use his facial expressions and hand gestures to convey the message he wanted her to understand. Lois didn't understand, but after a few more tries, Clark had gotten the message to her pretty clearly. She learned that he was worried about his situation. If the girls were really who they said they were. "What do you want to do?" She whispered.

Clark shrugged his shoulders, trying to think. Then it came to him. He motioned like he was pretending to put on sun screen. He then pointed to the bottle beside Lois and motioned for her to bring it over. He stopped her with the raise of his hand before she could move off her towel. Clark pointed to the brunette's purse lying behind him.

Lois nodded in agreement; it was a simple enough plan. She got up quietly and walked over to him, the sun screen in her hand.

Clark diverted his attention back to the girls, who were rubbing his chest and playing with his hair. "Look across the lake." He said to them, trying to distract them as Lois made her way closer. He made up some useless tale about the origins of the lake, succeeding in distracting them momentarily.

As quick as she could, she grabbed the brunette's purse and back away slowly. Reaching her own towel again, she looked over to see if anyone else had seen her take the purse. Lex and Andrea hadn't noticed, but Chloe was staring at her with her reporter eyes. Lois put her finger to her lips, motioning her to be silent. She smiled as Chloe kept her mouth shut. She rooted through the purse, looking for some I.D. When she found a drivers license, she looked at it carefully. Clark was right, these weren't high school students. She put the driver's license in Chloe's hands.

Chloe looked at the card and smiled a little. She knew something wasn't right. She looked back to Lois, who was still digging through the purse.

Lois found something that reflected in the sun. It was a card. She leaned it away from the sun, trying to read the silver lettering on the black card. Leaning in close to Chloe, she read the words for her. "Golden-hop Escort services." Lois looked right at Chloe and smiled, Clark's suspicions were right. She put the card in her bikini top, and put the purse beside her. She waited for Clark to finish his narrative before he turned back to look at her. She gave him a curt nod.

Clark sighed heavily, he knew something was up, and thanks to Lois, he knew for sure. He could hear Lois's voice from behind. She asked him who sent them. He didn't need to be a genius to figure it out. He turned around to look at her. With a slight dip of his head to the left, and redirection of his eyes, he mouthed the word Lex.

Lois couldn't help but chuckle a little. What in the world was Lex up to? She looked over at the millionaire; he was in deep conversation with his girlfriend. She didn't know whether to interrupt him or let Clark do it. She looked back over to Clark, there was sly grin creeping onto his face. Oh no, she groaned mentally. He was planning something. Ever since the incidents that had transpired earlier, he was bolder and more assertive than ever before.

Lois got up as Clark did. She stepped up in front of him as he made his way to Lex. "What are you doing?" She asked, more than just a little intrigued by his composure. "Just watch, and play along if you want." His grin made her smile back. She stepped aside to let him do what he wanted. Looking down at Chloe, she grinned at the strange expression on her cousin's face.

Clark didn't know what he was going to do, but he had play with Lex somehow. He had no idea why Lex would buy him escorts, but that was Lex, he had a problem with giving gifts. He stood towering over Lex and Andrea, his arms crossed. "Ahem." He interrupted their conversation.

Lex looked up to see the large figure he knew as Clark. "What is it Clark?" He asked, smugly. He didn't like being interrupted, and it wasn't like Clark to do so.

Clark looked down at Lex. "Can I borrow your Ferrari?"

Almost choking in surprise, Lex looked up at his grinning smile. "Why and the world would you need my car for?" His voice was very inquisitive, and he couldn't help but frown at Clark's behavior.

Clark shrugged a little and adjusted his sunglasses. "The girls and I want to get out of here, and Lois I know won't lend us her car."

Lex almost lost himself in shock. Clark Kent was going to take off with a bunch of women to have a good time. His gift was going better than he planned. "Sure Clark." He said, his own grin showing. He handed Clark the keys. "Have fun." He winked at him. He grinned wider as Clark snatched the keys from him and headed back to the girls. He looked over to see the strangest look he had ever seen, plastered on Andrea's face. "Don't worry. They'll take good care of him." He winked at her suggestively.

Clark told the girls that he wanted to get away from the beach. He wasn't surprised that they all agreed with him enthusiastically.

Andrea looked on in complete shock as Clark walked away with all three women. His arms were around their waists as he guided to them to Lex's car. She couldn't help but squeak a little, she was so confused at what was going on, not too mention the way Lex was acting.

Lex leaned over to whisper in her ear. "They're his birthday present." He pulled back to reveal his devilish grin.

Andrea almost screamed at him. She had never seen this side of Lex before.

Lex saw the horrified look on her face and tried to reassure her. "I just thought he could use a little comforting company for the afternoon. Don't worry, I know Clark. He won't do anything stupid."

Andrea wasn't so sure about that. The Clark she knew wouldn't, but he had been acting strange all afternoon. Now she wasn't sure. "He's acting a little different; I think he might do something stupid."

Lex lost his smile. So he wasn't the only one who had noticed Clark's change in behavior. "I noticed too." He said, worry coming across his face. His mood became concerning as he turned around to look at Clark open the door for the girls to get in. The car had only two seats, but he was sure he saw all four of them fit in. "Uh oh." He said. He turned back to Andrea. "I think you're right. He's actually going to do it." He was so surprised that his gift was actually working on Clark. Normally his bumbling friend would be so uncomfortable, but he had acted all casual and, well, horny. It was the only way he could put it.

They all stared at the disappearing car, its noise drowning out all the voices of the high school seniors that were in the water. Lois had been smiling as she watched Clark play with Lex, but when he actually got into the car and drove off with them, she lost her smile. Was he actually playing her? She wondered. No, he wouldn't do that, she convinced herself finally. She couldn't help but have lingering doubts that she was wrong.

"Wow, I knew Clark was always one to take things slow and cautious, but three women. I haven't even done that." Lex finished the sentence, but kept the grin on his face.

All three of them turned to look at Lex. Their mouths dropped open in unison. "What was that?" Andrea asked, rattled.

"Don't worry." Lex reassured her. "All that is in the past dear, I was actually younger than Clark when I had my first twin fun."

The last comment got a snort out of Lois. She knew the man had been a playboy, but she didn't think he had done it at such a young age. He hid more secrets than Clark, or so it seemed. "Knowing Clark, he'll make sure that all three get their equal share." She tried to lighten the mood, but in her mind she was growing more concerned that he was actually going to do what Lex thought.

Chloe burst out laughing, holding her sides. Both Andrea and Lex joined in the laughter, their voices rising to strange volumes. The only one who wasn't laughing was Lois. She looked at her cousin. She wasn't even smiling. Chloe knew Clark was only playing around, but by the look on Lois's face, she started having second thoughts herself. The laughter died down and she leaned over to Lois. "Don't worry, Clark won't do anything."

Lois tried to indulge in her reassurance, but she just couldn't. Strange things had been happening all day and she wouldn't be surprised if it got any weirder. "I hope so" She wished, looking over at Chloe.

Chloe could see the pleading look in Lois's eyes. Why was her cousin so concerned about Clark's sexual life? Things were certainly different, and stranger, since she had been home last.

Clark was as uncomfortable as he had ever been. The twins were squished up in the passenger seat and the brunette was sitting in his lap. He was having trouble shifting; her legs were getting in the way of his moving arm. He was also having difficulty pressing down the clutch. The seat had been adjusted for Lex's size, not for him. His knees were bent awkwardly and his face was practically resting on her breasts. She was too close for comfort, but he bit his lip and drove onto the road.

Struggling to turn the steering wheel, he slowly let out the clutch and shifted down. "Do you mind letting the seat back for me?" He asked the young woman on his lap. He struggled mightily to keep his urges locked up.

She smiled at him lustfully. "Sure thing Clark." With her left hand, she hit one of the buttons under the seat.

She must have hit the wrong button because all of a sudden they were squished together even harder. His face was buried in her chest. With a squeak, he tried his best to find the clutch and the brake, but his knees were hitting the dashboard. There was no room to move. "I can't see." He declared in a muffled voice. He could feel her shake a little in pleasure as his lips moved on her chest. The seat suddenly began to move back, she must have found the right button he thought, blushing furiously as the seat went back as far as it could.

He readjusted the woman in his lap so that he could see the road once again, and let his legs stretch out a little more. "Thank you." He said, voicing his appreciation.

The sultry brunette trailed her finger down his chest suggestively. She leaned in and pressed her smooth soft lips to his.

He pulled his foot away from the gas pedal and slammed hard on the brake. The car came to a screeching halt as he tried his best to pull over. Meanwhile, the woman was assaulting his mouth. He tried to pull back, but she put her back against the steering wheel to keep him firmly in place. She was kneeling on the seat and his lap, sitting on her heels as she continued to kiss him over and over.

He didn't kiss back, terrified of what it might lead to. He was so scared that he sat their frozen, staring right at her closed eyes, hoping to god she would just stop before he lost control of himself. He peeked over to see the two blonde twins giggling at his uncomfortable situation. He tried to push her back, but there was no room, her back only hit the steering wheel, the horn blaring loudly. She put her tongue in his mouth and met a wall of teeth. He squirmed as she licked his lips. Oh screw it, he told himself. He didn't have a girlfriend. He opened his mouth, granting her access to his tongue.

He began to lose himself in her fragrance, his head getting dizzy from the lack of air. Pulling back and taking a gulp of air, he looked her straight in the eyes. He shouldn't be doing this; he was only playing into Lex's wishes. He was about to open the door and squirm out, but he lost control of his urges and began to devour her mouth again. It might not have been right, but god did it feel good.

As they attacked each others lips, he looked out of the corner of his eye to see one of the blond girls reach into her purse. When her hand came out, his eyes went wide. He was about to say something as she looked at him, but he lost all restraint, closed his eyes and nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

Ch. 12

Clark felt the pressure in his pants build to an almost intolerable level. He was caught up in the moment, unable to think, only able to act. He felt a hand begin to undo his swimming trunk strings. As soon as he felt those hands touch his skin, he fell back to earth, and his urges disappearing. His erection weakened as he put his hand down to stop her hand. "No!" He almost shouted, grabbing her hand and pulling away.

The look on all their faces was one of complete shock. They were never ones to be denied.

Clark reached desperately for the door, his hand shaking violently as he opened it. He squeezed out of the car as quickly as he could, his erection completely gone. He fell to his knees on the gravel, his hands trying to support his weak body. He couldn't believe he had almost given in to what could only be described as something Kal-el would do. The whole day had been leading up to this moment, his attitude, his behavior, it was a defining moment in his life and he almost gave in. If it wasn't for the kiss with Lois earlier, he probably would have.

He turned around to see the brunette sitting on the driver's seat. She was looking at him with open amazement on her face. He could barely whisper, but he got it out. "Go, take the car." It was his plan all along, to get back at Lex. He just didn't believe how far it had gotten.

She looked down at him as he lied on the gravel road, his body weak and his mind depleted. "No one denies us." She said menacingly. Her tone was threatening and evil. "We will force you back in here if you won't do it willingly. Either way, we will have you."

Clark couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could only look at her in surprise as she removed her bikini and licked her nipples, trying to seduce him to going back in. Any other time he would have been blushing and slightly aroused, but he was so emotionally drained that she couldn't do anything to get him to bend to her will. "No." He said, again, this time as sternly as he could.

The two blonds came walking out of the car, there bodies naked as the day they were born. They came around the car to stand in front of him. They fondled each others breasts as they looked at him, giggling all the while. "Come back in Clark, we will bring you pleasure like you wouldn't believe." Their words were so full of seduction and longing he almost thought they were true.

"No!" He shouted at them, getting to his feet. He had lost his patience. "Leave now!" He shouted again, this time getting the point across as he noticed them jump.

The brunette got out of the car and stood right in front of him, looking up into his eyes. "I told you we would take it from you if you didn't give it to us. Now, this is your last chance to change your mind, or we will take if from you by force."

Clark frowned a little; there was something strange about these women. "I won't change my mind. Just take the car and leave." His energy was coming back as he got angrier.

The tall brunette woman turned around as if to walk away, but quicker than a blink of the eye, she gave him a roundhouse kick to his face. The impact caused him fly through the air, his body crashing into the tree line with tremendous force. Tree's toppled around him left and right as he hit a giant oak. He fell to the ground, his body landing on his stomach.

She looked back at her two sisters and grinned. "His blood is still warm. We can take it from him still." Her smile was so evil it could freeze the hearts of children.

The two blondes smiled back, each of their faces mirroring their older sister's. "We always get what we want." They said in unison.

They strode towards the trees as they ignored their nakedness. They stopped suddenly when they saw that there was no body lying in the debris. "Where did he go?" The two blondes asked.

"Over here." He said, standing a little off to the left. He watched them turn around to look at him. The look on their faces when they saw that he wasn't hurt made him smile. These women had strange abilities, but he always enjoyed surprising freaks with his own.

The three naked women almost tripped, but they kept their composure as they strode back towards him. The older sister was shocked to her core, but she held a straight face. "I don't know how you survived that, but we will not tolerate it again." As she got closer to him, she went to kick him, again.

Clark put up both hands and caught her foot just before it hit his head. He smiled at her, his grin just as evil as hers was. "You're not the only ones who are different." He said; his voice deep and menacing. The look of surprise on all their faces brought him so much pleasure.

She tried to swing at him, but he just squeezed her leg. A loud pop could be heard as the bone snapped under the pressure. She screamed as he let go, her body falling to the gravel.

The twins stared on in shock. No one had ever man handled any of them like that before. "What are you?" They said in unison.

Clark looked from the woman crying on the ground to the two naked blonds in front of him. He stared at them with an evil grin. "Your worst nightmare." His eyes glowed yellow and red as if he was about to shoot fire at them. It had the desired effect on the two of them.

The twins grabbed their sister and lifted her onto her feet. She was still crying, unable to put any weight on the leg. The two of them helped her over to the car, and placed her in it. Before the brunette went in though, she looked at Clark. "We will be back for you Clark Kent."

He just stared at her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'll be expecting you." He said, as they all filed in and took off. He lost his grin as he turned and watched them speed away. He had had enough of these freaks.

Clark watched the car disappear over a hill, his mind trying to piece things together. It was Lex who bought these women to service him, but did he know about their abilities? Clark sighed heavily. He wouldn't be surprised if Lex knew, his past attempts to find out his secret were convincing him that Lex probably did know.

"Clark?"

Clark heard a familiar voice from behind him. He turned around. "Lois!" He responded in shock. "What are you doing here?" He hoped she hadn't seen the whole exchange.

Lois got out of her car, her hair still a little wet. "I thought something might be wrong. You weren't acting like yourself." She was genuinely concerned, but she was a little freaked out with what she saw before she had said his name. When he gave her no answer, she stood in front of him, and looked right into his eyes. "What in the world happened Clark?" She refrained from using Smallville, the situation didn't warrant humor. "I took the corner and saw three naked women, one then tried to kick you in the head." She had no idea how he had caught such a quick movement. Even she couldn't move that fast. When he didn't answer again, she cupped his jaw in her hands. "What did you do to her?"

Clark looked down into her eyes; they were so round, so beautiful. He couldn't lie to her.

In a matter of minutes he had explained almost all of it. He left out the part where he knocked down the trees and broke the woman's leg. He wasn't very proud of that. In fact he was disgusted with himself that he had actually done it. It wasn't something he would normally do, but she had tried to kill him, and he had let his emotions get the best of him. He realized that no matter how strong he was, even the slightest slip up in his armor would have grave consequences.

Lois listened to him intently. She followed his tale of what happened with close inspection. She knew he was leaving parts out, but she wasn't going to pester him. Something was bothering him greatly and she just hoped that he trusted her enough to tell her, some day. She grabbed his arm and turned him towards her car. "Let's go back." She suggested, guiding him to the passenger door. He had cared for almost the exact same way earlier. She was happy he wasn't refusing her help.

She closed the door for him and went around and got into the drivers seat. She looked behind her and pulled a U-turn. The car slowly picked up pace as they headed back to the beach.

"Lex has some explaining to do." He seethed. Even if Lex didn't know about their abilities, he was still going to get an earful from him.

"All in good time Smallville." She said, trying to lighten his mood. As they drove, something nagged on her mind. She didn't want to pursue her question as it might upset Clark, but she couldn't resist asking. "What made you pull away from her Clark? You said that you had lost all control, but pulled back just before it got, well, sticky."

Clark looked over at her. She still had only her bikini on; her breasts were visible under her outstretched arms. "Do you really want to know?" He asked, trying to deflect the question.

"I do." She replied.

Clark didn't want to tell her the truth. He wasn't sure how she would react, and he was still confused about his feelings towards her. When she looked over at him, he saw the look on her face. She really wanted to know. He sighed, and mustered all the courage he could. "It was you." He said quietly. He looked at the road, scared at how she might react.

Lois's heart skipped a beat as she heard his answer. She pulled the car over to the shoulder, and parked in an abandoned farm lane way. She turned off the engine and looked right at him. "What do you mean I stopped you?" Her eyes were searching him for an answer.

He knew he couldn't lie to her; she was too smart to not notice he was lying. He turned his body towards her a little. He took a deep breath. "Lois, I know you and I are always at each other's throats, but deep down you and I both know that we're friends." She was about to speak up, but he stopped her with a finger to her mouth. He removed his finger from her lips and continued. "After what happened this morning, well to both of us, it kind of opened my eyes to things I didn't realize were there."

"What did you notice?" She asked, hoping to god that he was talking about what she was thinking about. She waited for his answer with such anticipation that she had decided to kiss him if he answered the way she hoped he would.

He took another deep breath and stared into to her eyes, eyes that seemed to show hope, greed, and most of all, longing. "I finally noticed you." He said, forcing an awkward smile.

Lois's heart burst open in a sudden tide of emotions. She undid her seatbelt, surprised she could do it at all. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Once she had the seatbelt off, she pulled her knees up onto her seat and leaned over, kissing him hard. She went after his lips like a dog after a bone, chewing them with her teeth. She was a little concerned when he didn't respond, but when he began to kiss her back, her concerns washed away, along with the emotional walls they had each erected.

He was so surprised with her sudden display of affection. He was surprised, but not freaked, in fact, he was happy. He had secretly wanted to kiss her again; their first kiss was something he couldn't get out of his mind. He kissed her back with all he had, letting his insecurities fall away with each opening and closing of their mouths. His back hit hard against the door as she pushed her way onto his seat. He hadn't noticed Lois as someone he thought he could be with until earlier in the day, but now that they were kissing, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed earlier.

Their tongues darted in and out of each others mouths as they decided not to restrain themselves. They were too caught up in the moment. Even with all his abilities, telling Lois that he had feelings for her was the hardest thing he had ever done. Now that the cat was essentially out of the bag, he was so relieved that he had told her, even if he had been hiding it for only a few mere hours. Everything was happening so fast, much as it did with the escort woman, only difference was, it felt right this time.

Lois moaned in pleasure as he disengaged his lips from hers and kissed her neck. They were public, in her car, and almost naked, but she didn't care. Things were traveling quickly, but she wouldn't pull herself back. She put her head back down to claim his lips again. She fumbled around for the seat release as she continued to suck on his tongue with her mouth. Finding the release, she gave it a triumphant pull, and the seat gave way.

Clark fell back suddenly, the seat giving way. Lois landed on top of his chest. Amazingly her lips didn't leave his as they fell together. He smiled a little as she began to fiddle with his trunk strings. He was going to stop her, but he was too caught up in the moment. His mass began to swell as she undid the last knot.

She undid the strings, leaned in and started licking his neck. Following a line up to his ear, she nibbled on the lobe a little. "In me!" She breathed, almost demanding him to do it. She felt her body tingle as she felt him swell against her clit. She closed her eyes in pleasure. She opened them and saw that Clark wasn't kissing her back as she moved her lips to his once again. She pulled back a little to see the look on his face. "Pill." She got out barely, putting his glance to rest.

He kissed her over and over as she reached in to pull it out of his trunks. When her fingers touched it, he tingled all over and put his right hand on the small of her back. He pulled her closer to him as she brought it out of his trunks. He was fully erect as she gave it a few strokes with her left hand.

She pumped him a few more times, admiring the size of it. She didn't know if she could take it all in, but she was sure as hell going to try. While kissing and stroking him, she used her other hand to push aside her bikini bottom. She raised herself up a little, never letting her lips leave his. She came back down on top of him, her walls clenching tightly to him as it slid deeper and deeper into her. A cry of pleasure escaped from her mouth into his as she took it all in. The initial insertion caused her to shake and tingle like it was below freezing. She could hear the pleasurable sounds of his voice mingling with hers as she lifted her hips to take him again.

Clark closed his eyes in delight. She was only moving back up him, but he felt as though he would loose himself before they actually got engrossed in their passion. He tried his best not to release himself, and he succeeded. She took him again, her walls clenching tightly to him as he took a sharp breath. Again and again she moved up and down, faster and faster each time. He couldn't believe that he would ever being doing this with Lois, but he was sure glad they were.

Lois screamed loudly, her pleasure soaring to incredible heights as she bounced on him over and over again. The tip of him hit her wall each time she let herself down, bringing her a sensation she had never felt before. "Oh Clark!" She screamed in such delight that she didn't care if the whole world knew what they were doing. She bounced on him so fast she failed at trying to take off her top. Giving up, she put her hands on his chest for leverage. She could feel herself getting close to climaxing as she felt his hands rest on her hips for support.

She hit her climax with such ferocity that she let out an unholy scream. She shook violently, as she felt him release inside of her. His warm seed seemed to drench her insides and caused her to jerk back and forth in pleasure. She bent down again to kiss him, claiming his lips as her own. In the distance she thought she heard a car coming, but she ignored it.

She pulled up and away from his face to look into his eyes. Her head jerked up suddenly as she heard a siren. She almost had a heart attack when she saw Sheriff Adam's pull up in her squad car.

Clark was so spent with pleasure he almost couldn't move. Then he heard the siren. He watched Lois's eyes go wide in horror as he could only guess what was behind him. He didn't want to venture a look, sacred to death at what he was going to find.

Lois looked back down at him and motioned for him to get up off the seat and look.

He didn't want to, but he had to. With what little strength he had left, he leaned on an elbow and pushed his way up. His throat tightened as he saw the Sheriff begin to step out of the car. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked from the emerging Sheriff to the car. The face he saw sitting in the back of the squad car stopped his heart from beating. "Lana!" He said in amazement, looking at her through the windshield.


	13. Chapter 13

Ch. 13

Clark looked back up at a mortified Lois and covered himself up as much as he could. He didn't know if both Lana and the Sheriff knew what exactly they were doing, but he hoped to god they were ignorant.

"Ms. Lane, and Mr. Kent." The sheriff said, a little surprised. "What are you two doing pulled over in the middle of the afternoon?" She played with them coyly.

Lois moved on Clark a little, trying to prove that they weren't doing anything. "We were just having a little fun Sheriff." She said it with a sly smile." She could feel Clark shifting nervously below her. She rested a hand on his chest to reassure him.

"I swear I thought I saw more than just having a little fun." The sheriff was looking at them with her accusing glare. "If what was happening that I think was happening, you're going to get a heavy fine." She could barely hide her amusement at the way they looked at each other. Their uncomfortable and scared reactions made her smile a little. She would have normally given them that fine, and told their parents, but they were both adults.

"We-we weren't doing…" Clark trailed off, scared to death.

"Don't worry you two. I didn't see anything of that sort." She lied, she didn't think these two deserved to be publicly scrutinized, even if it was Clark Kent. "Now, Ms. Lane, your car's back end is still sticking out on the road. It's dangerous and I hope that you will fix that a soon as possible."

"Sure thing Sheriff, right away." She stammered, happy that she didn't see exactly what they were doing.

"Good. Now just remember, if you decide to do this again, please put the top up Ms. Lane." She walked away before they could get in a reply.

Clark and Lois looked at one another with surprise slapped across their faces. Clark turned around. "What about Lana? What did she do?"

The sheriff opened the car and looked back at them. "I caught her doing double the speed limit in someone else's car. That's certainly grounds for arrest. Now, pull that car over more, or disappear." Her tone was that of authority.

Clark could hear Lana crying in the back seat. He wanted to try and explain things, but the car had already begun to disappear from their sight. He let out a huge sigh of relief when they disappeared, leaving him and Lois alone, once again.

Lois let herself go as she fell onto his chest giggling. She didn't know how too feel, she was happy at one moment, then scared to death at the next. Her emotions were swinging wildly, and all she could do was giggle like a little school girl.

Clark was confused by her sudden display of mirth. He didn't want to talk about what just happened. It wasn't that he was regretting what they had did, he was just scared to death about what might happen if they did talk about it. She laughed louder and louder, he couldn't help but get swept up in it too. They laughed together, both relieved and scared at what had just happened.

The laughter died down as she let out a single tear in giddiness. Rubbing her ear on his chest, she moaned a little. "That was fun." She said, snorting out a laugh.

Clark almost lost himself in shock when she said that. He was about to respond, but she looked so comfortable with her head on his chest. He just wrapped his arms around her. He smiled as she snuggled up to him tighter, her head touching the bottom of his chin.

Chloe had been in complete shock when Lois had taken off after Clark. She had no idea why her cousin had done such a thing, but it seemed so out of her character. She didn't even answer to the questions that she was yelling at her when Lois pulled away.

When she had walked back over to Lex and Andrea, she was so disoriented with what had just transpired; she simply walked into the water and shocked herself back to earth with the cold temperature. She emerged from the lake seconds later, the water too cold for her comfort. She did bother to take her clothes of though.

She grabbed a towel and began to dry off. Wrapping the towel around her waist, she sat down on the cooler, putting her chin in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Andrea asked, putting her hand her friend's shoulder.

Chloe didn't think she could answer, but she did. "I'll be okay, but Lois and Clark are freaking me out a little."

"I know what you mean." She replied, her black hair flowing softly in the wind. "Chloe, do you think Clark actually, you know?" She let herself trail off. She hated to ask it, but she needed some reassurance.

Chloe didn't even want to think about it. She just hoped that Lois had gotten there in time. "Before today I would have said no, but now, I'm not so sure." She was horribly concerned with how Clark was acting. He was acting so much like Kal-el she was certain that he had some Red-K on him somewhere. "I just hope he didn't Andrea, I don't think I could take it if he did. He's my best friend, but now I'm beginning to think that I don't even know him at all."

Andrea couldn't help but feel for her. She could only imagine how hard it was to be separated from someone and to see that person change so drastically in such a short period of time. "I just hope Lois got there in time." She said, reassuringly squeezing her shoulder again.

"Me too." Chloe voiced her agreement, grabbing Andrea's hand and squeezing it.

"Are you two alright?"

They both turned around to see Lex walking towards them. He was still only in his trunks. "You two look lost." He said.

Chloe tried to force a smile, but she failed miserably. "We are just worried about Clark, that's all." She got up off the cooler and stretched a little.

"I don't see why you're so worried about him. He's a grow man, he can make his own decisions." He grinned a little, hoping Clark was taking advantage of his gift. He was told that they were the best escort service in Metropolis.

Chloe turned around to look at Lex, her stare was angrier than she wanted it to be. "What in the world were you thinking Lex?" She almost screamed at him. "Getting Clark escorts, and for his birthday. You know full well that he doesn't celebrate a birthday. For god sakes, he doesn't even know when he was actually born." She finished the last sentence with her voice almost spitting the words out.

Lex was taken back a little as he took her barrage of words with almost pure contempt. He didn't like being yelled at, especially from a woman who didn't even seem to know who Clark was anymore. "What have you done for him lately?" He shot back at her. He smiled a little as he saw her face falter. "You say that you are his best friend, and yet you've been gone for almost a month. You come back, expecting the same person as you left, and when you realized that he has changed, you question his integrity." His smile had disappeared as he ripped into her, his face getting angrier and angrier. "I know very well that he doesn't celebrate a birthday, but that doesn't mean I can't get him a gift. Yes, I also know that Clark would never agree to what I did, but with the way he has been acting lately, I figured he might play along." He stared at her hotly, his emotions getting the best of him.

Chloe, so shocked at his barrage of words, she could barely give a reply. "I-I." She stammered.

"What!?" Lex exploded. "Don't you have anything more to say than just, I? You want to be his friend, you support him, you believe in him. It's obvious that you're unable to turn off that reporter mind of yours when it comes to the people close to you. All you want is answers to the questions that you can't get answers for." His last words came out in a blind rage. He had had it with Sullivan and her pompous know it all attitude.

Chloe couldn't help but scream back at him. "You say that I can't stop digging into things, that I can't stop doubting Clark. Well, you had him investigated for more than four years, and you call yourself his friend."

Lex had expected her to say that. He already had his words prepared for his rebuttal. "Yes." He said, calming down slightly, lowering his voice. "It took me some time to realize that Clark wasn't like others. He didn't want anything from me; he was just content to be my friend. I've realized now that that is all that I have ever wanted, someone who accepts me as human being, not a bank. I regret what I did to him every second of my life. I know I cannot change what I did, but that doesn't mean I don't regret it. Clark is my friend, and I trust him. I think you should do the same Chloe, because if you can't, I don't think you're any friend of his."

Andrea stood there taking it all in, her mind racing back and forth from argument to argument. She looked at Chloe and saw the dejected look on her face. Lex's words were harsh, and so was his attitude, but she knew he was right. And, she knew Chloe knew that too.

Lex took a deep breath. It wasn't often he had to defend Clark, it was usually the other way around, but it felt nice to return the favor. He hadn't wanted to be so harsh with Chloe, but sometimes anger was the only way to make someone realize that they were being childish and naïve. He looked at Chloe; her cheeks were flowing with tears as she furiously tried to wipe them away between sobs. "I'm sorry Chloe." He said, a little upset that he had been so harsh.

Chloe wiped her eyes again. "No Lex, you're right. I've been a horrible friend." She turned and walked away as quickly as she could; disgusted with herself and the way she had treated Clark. It might not have seemed horrible in her eyes, but when Lex had laid it out before her, she knew he was right.

Lex watched Chloe run away like a wounded bear. He felt a hand touch his arm. He smiled as Andrea wrapped her finger in his. He stared at her with an apologetic look.

She knew he felt bad about what he had just done. With a reassuring rub of his arm with her other hand, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know it hurt to talk to her like that, but she needed a crash course in friendship. She has been hanging around that Lana girl too much."

Lex smiled at her, thanking god that he was with such an understanding woman. "You know that I would never intentionally do anything to hurt Clark, right?"

She wouldn't have thought so almost ten minutes ago, but after his outburst, she was confident that he was a different man than Clark had painted. "I know you wouldn't Lex. I thought the gift was a little tasteless, but I don't think you expected him to go along with it, did you?"

"No." He replied. "I figured he'd just sort of shrug them off. It was really only a joke, but to tell you the truth, I sort of hoped he'd go off with them. He always seems so lonely, even when he's around friends." He sighed heavily, now hoping that Clark hadn't changed too much.

Andrea could hear the concern in his voice. He was so much what she wanted, loyal, compassionate, and most of all, caring. She looked forward, her head still resting on his shoulder. "I think I love you." She blurted out suddenly, trying to get it out of herself as quickly as possible.

Lex was taken back a little at her words. He rested his head on hers and whispered to her. "Good, I thought I'd have to be the one to tell you that first."

She turned to look up at his smiling face. She kissed him as hard as she could. Her heart began to quicken as he kissed her back.

Chloe didn't know where she was going, but at that moment she didn't want to be around anyone. She felt so ashamed of herself, and she could only feel worse knowing that it was Lex who had told her. The man everyone hated had actually said something good for once. She couldn't help but chuckle a little through her tears. She headed for the woods, just wanting to be alone. She was stopped in her tracks when she saw a police car pull up, it's siren sounding once. She frowned as Sheriff Adams got out and walked towards her. "Can I help you Sherrif?" She asked wiping away the rest of her tears.

"I hope so Ms. Sullivan." She said, turning her head back to her car.

Chloe followed her gaze to the car. Her eyebrows popped up as she saw who was sitting in the back of the car. Turning her attention back to the Sheriff, she frowned a little. "What did she do?"

"Well, for starters, she was doing double the speed limit. That alone will get her license suspended. Secondly, she was in a stolen car. Now, that's little more serious." She looked back at Ms. Sullivan. "She says it's your car. I wanted to make sure before we just tossed her in jail for grand theft."

Chloe shook her head slightly. Lana really needed to learn how to control her emotions. "It was my car Sheriff, she didn't steal it."

"Good. I'd hate to see such a young lady end up with a permanent felony on her record." She smiled her weird grin at the young girl in front of her.

Chloe, a little surprised, looked at Lana again. "Where was she going, if you don't mind me asking?"

"She said she was going to the Kent's."

Chloe closed her eyes in pain. Oh Lana, she told herself, just give it up already. "Is she free to go Sheriff?" She asked, hoping that Lana wouldn't have to go to the county lock up.

"Yes, but she'll have a hefty fine to pay for her speeding." The Sheriff moved to let Lana out of the car. "I would assume she's having a rough day." She said, handing the ticket to Lana as she got out of the squad car. She closed the door and looked at Ms. Sullivan as she opened her own door to get in. "I can't say the same thing for your friend Mr. Kent though."

Chloe frowned at the smiling Sheriff as she watched her pull her squad car around to leave. What in the world did that mean? She asked herself, watching the car disappear from view. She looked over to an almost catatonic Lana, who stood straight, not blinking. "What did she mean by that?" She asked her friend, staring at her unmoving features. When Lana turned to face her, she didn't need an answer; the look on her face gave her all the information she needed. "He was…?" She left the question hanging.

Lana didn't blink, she could only nod.

With her hands flinging to her own mouth, Chloe let out a muffled cry. Clark was now a complete mystery to her.

Clark and Lois lied together for more than five minutes, their bodies entwined like a piece of bailing string. Neither of them wanted to break the silence, their minds content on just holding each other.

Lois didn't want to move from his touch, but she knew they would eventually have to. Pulling herself away form his grasp, she stared down into his now sad eyes. "What just happened?" She asked him, her hands resting on his chest.

Clark didn't know what to say, his mind was trying to grasp for meaning, but it kept opening empty boxes. "I don't know." He said, giving up trying to come up with an explanation. He hoped that she didn't regret what they jut did, because he certainly didn't. It took all his courage to ask her. "Do you regret, well…?" He let his voice trail off.

Lois looked down at him with her smirk planted firmly on her face. She slapped his chest playfully. "Not for a second." It felt so good to say those words. She beamed as he relayed the same sentiments back to her. She didn't think she could have felt happier than she did at that moment. "What do we do from here?" She asked. She saw his face cloud over, but she leaned down and kissed him, reassuring him that she wasn't just going to forget what happened.

Clark took a deep breath. "I have no idea. All I know is that there is something between us that I'm not willing to just forget about."

She smiled and laid back down on his chest. "I just don't want this feeling to go away." She said into his chest. It felt so right. "I don't know what to say Clark; lately I've been so confused about how I feel about you. There were times that you frustrated me to no end, and then there are times when I feel like I couldn't stand not being around you."

Clark stroked her hair with his hand. "I know what you mean. You make me feel the same way, but I promise you, I'll try to avoid angering you in the future."

Lois sat up and smirked at him again. "Come on Smallville. If we start dating, are you going to get all boring on me?" She tugged on his chin a little with her thumb and fingers.

He chuckled, sitting up and kissing her. He pulled back and gave her a sloppy grin. "So, you want to date now? I thought you'd want to take it slow." The sarcasm in his voice had the desired effect on her.

She grinned back at him. "After what just happened, I don't think slow is what we should be doing." She playfully slapped his thigh for emphasis.

"What are we going to tell the others?" He asked.

"I have no clue, but I don't really think it will matter. Lana will tell everyone what she saw. I don't know if she saw all of what we were doing, but it doesn't really matter. People are going to ask questions and make assumptions." She teased his hair with her finger. "I don't care though, as long as we can keep your parents in the dark for a while."

Clark, a little confused why she wanted to keep his parents in the dark, lifted her head to stare at her face. "Why leave them in the dark. They're not stupid people; they'll know something is going on."

Lois could only agree, she wasn't thinking clearly. It wasn't her fault though, Clark was invading her thoughts. "Well, let's assume Lana knows what exactly we were doing. She tells a bunch of people. We won't deny it, but we will shrug it off as a one time thing, a stupid spur of the moment mistake." She smiled a little as she tried to finish her plan. It was childish and stupid, but she just wanted to have some fun with the whole situation. "We'll be the only ones to know that it is something more than a mistake."

Clark frowned at her plan. He didn't think people were that gullible. "I don't know Lois, people aren't that ignorant."

"Sure they are Smallville. All we have to do is act like we always do around each other." She paused for a moment. "It'll work, I promise you." She gave a reassuring kiss and sat back up, allowing Clark to get up with her.

"Okay, we'll try it. This really seems childish though." He was still convinced it wasn't going to work. "One thing though."

"What?" She asked, moving herself back into the driver's seat. She held onto his hand, not wanting to let go of his touch.

Clark rubbed the back of her hand with his middle finger. "If my parents become suspicious and ask questions, we tell them the truth. I can't lie to them about something like this. They'll keep it a secret as long as we ask them too."

She didn't want to tell anyone, but the puppy dog look that he gave her bent her to his will. "Okay, we'll tell them." She paused and looked at him. "But only if they ask. Not otherwise." She smiled at him, gave him a squeeze with her hand and let go, turning the key to start the car. She backed the car out of the laneway and back onto the road. Pulling onto the road, she took his hand in hers again. "Chloe is going to be the worst about this. I don't have a problem with lying to her, but she is going to expect something and I don't want her gabbing to Lana about it."

Clark put on his seat belt with one hand and reassured her. "Then we'll have to do a good job at selling it then." The grin on his face was not one of happiness, but one of trickery.

"I didn't think you'd be up to this. Usually you are such a boy scout Smallville."

"What can I say Lois, you bring the evil out in me. Maybe I should stay away from you?" He looked at her and winked.

She gripped his hand hard. "I don't think so; your health hangs in the balance." The smirk on her face was only for Clark, something she did for no one else. "You know, this whole plan is going to work, or it is going to blow up in our faces. I just hope that you don't screw it up."

Acting as if he was hurt, he pinched one of her fingers. When she squealed in pain, he massaged the spot. "I'm going to screw it up? What makes you think you won't slip up first?"

Lois let out a big laugh. "I don't think I'll have any trouble." She laughed again at his words.

Clark couldn't help chuckle a little. She was right, he would be the one to screw it all up. He was good at keeping his secret, but when it came to other things he had to keep secret, he wasn't very good at keeping quiet.

His mood dampened a little when he thought about his secret. He had just done what he was afraid of doing with his powers, and he didn't hurt her. He had done it all without even a second thought. He smiled to himself, knowing that he didn't have to tell her his secret to protect her. Of course he didn't, it was Lois, not Lana.

Lex and Andrea walked over to Lana and Chloe, their hands firmly locked together. They were content to just hold each other at the moment, even though they both had the urge to find a secluded area. They reached the two of them as Chloe put her hands to her mouth. The look on her face told both of them what they feared the most.

Andrea almost slipped and fell, but Lex caught her. She straightened and looked at Chloe. "He didn't really..?" She asked, scared that she was going to get the answer she dreaded. How was Clark going to live with himself? She watched as Chloe turned to her and nodded. Andrea almost fell again, her knees buckling. Luckily Lex was still holding onto her.

Lex tried to look upset. He was, but he was a little proud of himself is some respect. He had finally gotten Clark to accept one of his gifts, which meant a lot to him. He held onto Andrea as she regained her composure. She sure cared a lot about Clark. The ensuing silence was becoming almost unbearable, so he broke it. "Lana, tell us exactly what happened. How in the world do you know he was doing what you say?"

Lana didn't know if she could speak, but tried anyway. "I was in Chloe's car." She began. "I was going well over the speed limit when Sheriff Adams pulled me over. She asked for license and insurance, but of course it wasn't my car. I couldn't convince her that it was Chloe's, so she cuffed me and put me in the cruiser." Tears came to her eyes as she continued to tell them all what happened. "I told her that Chloe was my friend and she lent me the car. She still didn't believe me, but she agreed to come to the lake to make sure I wasn't lying." She stopped her narrative as she began to sob loudly.

Fighting her tears, she hardened her voice with all her strength. "We were heading here when we saw a car pulled over into an abandoned lane way. The rear end was still sticking out onto the road somewhat, but the trees were hiding it. We could see through the trees a little, and we saw a brunette bouncing up and down. We didn't think much about it, but when we got closer, we could hear the screams of pleasure." She went into racking sobs as she tried to continue. "The squad car windows were down and we could hear the screams. One thing in particular we picked out. The woman was screaming Clark over and over again."

Chloe almost threw up, her stomach turning at the thought of Clark having random sex with what could only be described as a prostitute. She couldn't keep her emotions bottled up anymore. She went over to Lex and started hitting him with her fists. She pummeled him over and over. "You bastard!" She screamed.

Lex was shocked at what Lana was saying, but he was even more shocked when Chloe started yelling and hitting him repeatedly. He felt Andrea try to get in between them, but he pushed her out of the way, allowing Chloe to let out her anger and frustration. The noise and beating stopped when they heard Lana yelling at them.

"Stop, stop." She screamed at them. "What are you doing Chloe? I'm just as upset as you, but why are you hitting him? What did he do?"

Chloe looked at her with a blank stare. She gasped suddenly. Lana didn't know about the escorts. "Lex gave Clark three escorts for his birthday, but I didn't think Clark would go so far as to have sex with them."

Lana looked at her friend with wonderment. "What are you talking about? Escorts?" She was confused.

"Yes, Lex bought Clark prostitutes." Chloe said in anger, looking back at Lex with an evil glare.

Lana, puzzled still, looked at all of them as they turned their attention back to her. "There were prostitutes." She said, her voice cracking.

"Then who was…?" Andrea asked, letting the question trail off.

Lana took a deep breath; her heart was tearing apart as she hissed. "It was Lois screaming."

Lex let out a booming laugh, but was cut short when Chloe fainted and fell into his arms. He held onto Chloe and looked up to see two horrified faces. Did they not find this as funny as he did?


	14. Chapter 14

Ch. 14

Clark and Lois held each other's hands as they turned into the parking area. They disengaged them as soon as they saw Lana and Andrea staring down at an unconscious Chloe, who was laying on the ground with Lex tending to her. Clark turned to Lois and saw the concern on her face. "Remember, just play it cool."

She could only nod as she turned off the car and rushed over to her cousin's side.

Clark followed after her, concerned that something horrible had happened. He leaned down next to Chloe. She was breathing normally, but her eyes were closed. He looked up and saw a smiling Lex. "What are you smiling about? What happened?" He had a number of questions, but those were the only two he could get out.

Lex looked from Clark to Lois; his grin was so wide his gums were showing. "She'll be fine; she just had a little fainting spell."

Lois looked at Lex with a questioning frown. "Why did she faint?" She asked.

Lex chuckled a little. "Our friend Lana said she saw you two doing something, well, naughty."

Lois looked over at Clark, she was expecting this, but not this soon.

Clark kept a cool demeanor as he covered for Lois's lack of words. "Don't worry it was nothing."

"Nothing?" Lana almost screamed behind him. "How is it nothing, I know what I saw." She was so angry; spittle was flying from her mouth as she spewed the words.

Lois, regaining her composure, turned to her. "We're not denying what you saw, in fact I'll tell you straight forward. We had sex, big deal. Get over it." Her words came out so casual she surprised herself. She was always one to play things cool and low key, but this was something she didn't know she could keep steady about.

Lana almost choked on her tears. She didn't believe what she was hearing.

Chloe, hearing Lois's words, snapped her eyes open. "You actually had.?" She asked, the last words unable to escape from her mouth.

Lois looked sown into her cousin's eyes. "Yes, Clark and I had sex, but don't worry, it's nothing more than just that." The smile she gave Chloe was one that relaxed her cousin.

"Why?" She asked, looking over to Clark, letting Lex help her to her feet.

Clark shrugged. "I guess with all the bickering and teasing, we had had enough, and decided to do something about it."

"So you had sex?" She glared at him her arms crossing in front of her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her best friend and her cousin just had sex and they both shrugged it off as no big deal. She had trouble wrapping her mind around it.

Clark looked over at Lois and back to Chloe. "I don' know what else to say Chloe, it just happened. It doesn't change anything." His words weren't well received. Everyone standing around them had sour expressions on their faces, well, almost everyone. Lex was still smiling. He knew Lex would be the only one to really understand. He had had his share of one time sexual encounters.

Lex, seeing how all the others were upset, tried to defend Lois and Clark. "You know, they are your friends, but come on, don't be so blind as to let this alter that. For god sakes, if I had a nickel for every time I had hurried sex in the heat of the moment I'd-." He stopped suddenly as he got an icy stare from Andrea. He decided to push his boundaries though. "I'd have enough money to pay their child support each month."

Andrea just stared at him. She didn't find his joke funny in the least. She was the only one that thought that though, everyone else was laughing or chuckling.

Clark smiled and laughed. Lex had the ability to lighten the mood as much as darken it. He knew that the joke rubbed Andrea the wrong, and he didn't want to offend her by laughing, but he couldn't help himself. He felt the hot air surrounding them disappear as almost all of them laughed.

Chloe laughed along with them, but she was still perplexed.

Seeing the look on Chloe's face, Clark reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder. He stared right into her eyes. "I would suggest that you just forget about it." He looked over a Lois and winked. Hoping no one else had seen it, he turned back to Chloe. "Lois and I have forgotten about it already. You should too."

"I don't know if I can Clark." She replied, her mind wanting to forget, but the image of what they did kept resurfacing.

"You're going to have to Chloe." Lois said, walking up to her and Clark. "We won't be discussing it further, and we won't answer any of your questions about it. So please, just forget that it ever happened." Her voice was so pleading, she almost convinced herself to forget it, but she knew there was no way she could possibly do that.

Chloe looked at both of them, their eyes showing how serious they were. She wanted so badly to know every detail, but what Lex had told her earlier caused her to refrain. "Okay." She agreed reluctantly. Silence enveloped them as she said it.

Clark looked around to each and every one of them, trying to think of what else to say.

Lex saved him again. "Let's not just stand around and look at each other, let's enjoy the rest of the afternoon as best we can." He gave Clark and Lois a sly grin, turned around and walked away, Andrea following him, but at a distance.

"Can I speak to you Clark?" Lana asked, glancing from him to Lois and Chloe. "In private?"

Clark turned around to look at Lana. Why would she need to talk to him? "Do you two mind?" He asked Chloe and Lois. They nodded and walked away. He saw Lois turn her head back to look at him, a frown firmly planted on her face. He just smiled at her, trying to put her worries to rest. When they where far enough away, he turned back to Lana. "What did you want to talk about?" He sighed heavily.

"I still love you Clark." She blurted out. She was letting it all hang out, hoping that Clark still had some feelings for her. He said earlier that he didn't, but she knew Clark, she was sure he did.

Clark groaned, his head pounding. He didn't want to hurt her, but he also didn't want to leave the situation with a question mark at the end of it. "I wish I still felt the same way about you." He lied, but he didn't want to hurt her with the truth. He stared at her watering eyes. He wanted to sweep her up in his arms tell her it would be okay, but he didn't. He was convinced that he had to finally put this to rest. He saw the sad look on her face. "I wish I could explain it better, but that is just the way I feel."

Lana let her tears come out openly as she tried to convince him to give her another chance. "I'm so sorry about the way I've treated you Clark. How I pushed you to tell me all the things you were keeping secret, I'm just so sorry Clark. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you Lana, but I cannot let myself go running back to you. I've let you dictate my heart for almost four years, and I realized that all you did was make me miserable." He could see his message was finally hitting home as she looked at him, her tears falling from her face.

"Were you always unhappy when we were together?" It broke her heart to ask, but she said it anyway.

Clark groaned again, drawing his hand over his face for emphasis. "Not always."

She perked up a little at his answer.

"I enjoyed our first few weeks, but once you started asking me questions and not giving up on doing so when I told you to drop it, I knew it was over." He hated saying it, but it was the truth.

"I promise I won't do it again." She said, in a last ditch attempt to try and convince him.

Clark looked at her, trying not to lose his cool. She wasn't going to give up. "Lana, I will always be your friend, but we will never be together in the way you want. Never again." His last two words came out strong, to prove he was being truthful.

She sighed, running out of tears. So it was finally over, she let herself believe it. "I just hope that we can somehow save our friendship Clark. I don't want to be completely out of your life."

"I know Lana; it's just going to be hard to forget what has happened between us. I am willing to try and make our friendship work if you are willing to move on." He was glad to see that she was finally accepting his point of view.

"It will take me time to move on Clark, but I'm sure one day it'll be just like it was when I was with Whitney." She tried to force a smile, her lips curling upwards only a little.

Clark knew she was just trying to put on a brave face, but he knew it would never be like that again. That was one of the hardest times in his life, to see her with someone else. Now, he just wished she could see herself with someone other than him.

Lana hugged him, but he didn't return it. She dropped a few more tears and disengaged herself. She walked by him towards the others, her legs shaky and wobbly.

Clark sighed in content. He had finally convinced her that they were over. He watched her catch up with the others, leaving him all alone by Lois's car. She never really did park it. He got into the car and parked it properly; he could hear the engine rattle a little. Lois must have pushed it a little too much earlier. He turned it off and put the keys in his pocket as he searched for his sunglasses. Slapping himself mentally, he remembered that he had left them in Lex's car. His mood darkened suddenly as he remembered what had happened. So many strange occurrences in one day, it was all beginning to take a toll on him. Instead of getting out of the car and rejoining the others, he let the seat back to take a nap, alone.

Lois was lying on her stomach, her bikini strings untied as she tanned. She didn't want any tan lines, and the damn strings made an ugly mark. Her mind drifted off to Clark and their little adventure earlier. Just the thought of what they did sent a shock of pleasure up her spine. She had her eyes closed and her head lying sideways on the towel. She moved her head so that she wouldn't burn the left side of her face. With her chin planted firmly in her folded arms, she replayed every small detail of what she and Clark had done.

Chloe, who was sitting beside Lois, could barely keep quiet. She so badly wanted to know about Clark and Lois's adventure on the side of the road. They may have been uncomfortable and defensive about speaking of it, but she certainly wouldn't be. She had agreed to not ask questions about it, but she was sure there was a way to get answers. Lois would be difficult to budge in her stance, but Clark might be able to give her something. She wouldn't even have to ask him direct questions; she could be very clever about it. Clark might be smart, but when it came to people, he was a dense as an underwater tree. She smiled to herself, knowing that she was going to have a little fun in the next couple of days.

Turning her attention back to her surroundings, she watched Lois smile, and her eyes close. She must be having a pleasant thought she said to herself. About Clark she bet, but she wasn't allowed to ask. Her attention was diverted from her cousin as a now scantily clad Lana sat down beside her. She looked over at her friends face; it was all red from tears. "What did you need to talk to Clark about?" She asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"I gave him his final chance to take me back, but he shut me down." She took a deep sigh. "I shouldn't be surprised; I've treated him horribly since we broke up." Her eyes lingered on the people in the water. "We agreed to be friends, but I'm not certain that it will work out, there's jut too much history there."

Chloe reached out and touched her forearm. "Just remember, no matter how you feel about him, he does care for you. He cares for all of us."

Lana nodded her head. "I just wish things could have ended up different. I would have never thought he'd be the one to move on first. He was in love with me for almost four years. I'm gone a month, and his feelings for me are ancient history." She paused for a second to look at Chloe before looking back out t the water. "I just expected that he was still in love with me. That's why I wasn't too concerned with the break up. I figured he'd want me back in no time."

Chloe couldn't help but give her an apologetic smile. It was good to see that they had worked out what they felt, but she didn't like seeing her friends in such a weird place. It made not only them uncomfortable, but her as well. "Lana, I think what you have to do is find something to take your mind of him. Find a hobby, take a vacation, do something that doesn't involve Clark." She was grasping for straws, trying to keep Lana's mind off of him.

Lana shrugged a little. "I don't know Chloe, I just feel lost. I want to go do something to vent my frustration, but I don't know what."

"How about we have a night out on the town? Just the girls?"

Lana looked over at Chloe and smiled a little. "That sounds like a splendid idea, but where are we going to go? There isn't much to do in Smallville."

Chloe hadn't thought ahead. Lana was right; there wasn't much do in Smallville on a Friday night. "We could raid a high school party?" She suggested, knowing Lana wouldn't agree.

Lois snorted out a laugh; she had been listening to their entire conversation. "A high school party?" She asked laughing. "Come on cousin, that's borderline pathetic." She laughed again.

Chloe, a little annoyed with Lois's snooping and her tone of voice, turned to her and shot back. "What do you plan we do then?" She asked hotly.

Lois opened her eyes and tilted her head little to stare at both of them. "I will agree that there isn't much to do, but I'm sure Mrs. Kent would leave us the keys to the Talon when she closes up. We could watch a few movies and have a gay old time." Her tone of voice was almost joking, if not downright mocking.

Chloe looked at her cousin with an icy stare, but it disappeared as she thought about what Lois had said. "You know, that might not be a bad idea. It's not like there is anything else to do."

Lois listened to her. It wasn't a half bad idea as she thought more about it. When Chloe said there was nothing better to do, she couldn't agree with that though. She and Clark could be doing something a lot more interesting than watching movies. She closed her eyes in pleasure as she let herself imagination drift away again. She wanted Clark so badly.

Chloe looked from her cousin back to Lana. "What do you think? Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds okay to me, but who is going to come with us?"

"Hmm, I think Lois might, and I'm sure Andrea will." Chloe tried to get Lois's attention, but she had that smile on her face again. Her eyes were also closed again. "Lois?" She asked, trying to get her attention.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she barely heard her name. She was so swept up in her imagination she thought it was Clark. "Mmmm huh?" She replied, her voice emanating lust and longing.

Chloe looked over at Lana with a questioning glare. "What kind of answer was that?" She asked her. She turned her attention back to Lois when Lana gave her the same facial expression back. "Lois?" She asked again a little louder this time.

"Mmm…" She replied once again, thinking it Clark's voice. "Yes Clark?" She asked, not fully aware that it wasn't him calling her name.

Chloe's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Clark?" She asked herself. Why was Lois talking about Clark. "Lois?" She poked her cousin, making sure to get her attention. She smiled when she jumped a little at her touch.

"What?" Lois seethed, turning her glare to her cousin. "What do you want?"

Chloe couldn't help but chuckle a little. "We were going to ask if you wanted to come along with us tonight, it was your idea after all, but we understand if you just want to lie here and dream about Clark."

Lois shocked herself a little. "What? I wasn't dreaming of no one." She said hastily.

Chloe didn't buy that. "Come on cuz, you were mumbling his name."

Lois let her head back down onto her arms. "No I wasn't. You were hallucinating." She said it with a steady voice, surprising herself.

"Okay." Chloe said slowly, not believing a word of what she said. "So, are you coming with us?"

"Sure, why not." She replied, not even bothering to look at them. She just closed her eyes again, feeling the sun beat down on her backside. It was almost as hot as Clark's breath. She couldn't help but shiver as she relieved the whole experience in her mind once again.

Chloe frowned again as she saw the grin on Lois's face once again. Shaking her head slightly, she turned her attention back to Lana. "Where is Clark by the way? I don't see him anywhere."

Lois answered the question for her. "He's sleeping in the car."

Chloe turned around to see a pair of sandaled feet resting up on the dashboard of Lois's car. She smiled a little. "You must have tired him out Lois." She said.

Lana coughed violently as Lois did the same, but with less force. "Chloe!" Lana said, shocked at what she just heard come from her friend's mouth.

"Hey, if they're not going to talk about it, I'm going to poke fun at them about it." She gave Lois a sloppy grin as she stared at her.

Lois had one eye open, staring at her cousin. She just shut it and ignored her.

Chloe chuckled a little, turning to see what Andrea and Lex were doing.

Andrea had her head resting on his chest when she heard Chloe bark at her.

"Andrea. You want to come spend a night with us at the Talon, just the girls?"

She was too comfortable to move her head to look at them. "Sure, just tell me what time to be there." She said into Lex's stomach.

Chloe looked at Lana. "Is nine good?" She asked her softly.

Lana nodded.

"Be there at nine." She said a little louder so that Andrea could hear her.

Andrea didn't respond, she just put her left hand in the air and gave her a thumbs up.

"What am I supposed to do tonight?" Lex asked, looking down at her, a sad by sly smile on his face.

"I don't know." She responded. "Go out with Clark and find some trouble." She tickled his navel as he chuckled.

Clark was almost sound asleep when he heard his name. He was going to turn around and see who it was, but shrugged it off. He was replaying his and Lois's adventure in his mind again, this time spending more time on the finer details. He was snapped out of his imagination when he heard his name again. "Damn!" He swore under his breath, cursing his good hearing. He knew they were more than a hundred feet away, but he could still hear them as if they were standing around him. Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep with his mind stuck on Lois, he got his feet off the dash and stepped out of the car. Rubbing his eyes, he was stopped suddenly with a hand slapped to his chest.

"Hi Clark." A cheery voice said.

He rubbed what little sleep was in his eyes away. Focusing them, he recognized the person in front of him. "Oh, Hello Abby, wasn't expecting you there."

The girl who had undergone massive plastic surgery over a year ago, smiled up at him. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She removed her hand from his chest and put it on the strap of the bag that hung from her shoulder.

He admired her body. She was wearing a bright red two piece suit that left very little to the imagination. He could see her blush a little as he glanced back at her face. "You didn't scare me, just caught me un-expecting." He smiled at her.

She admired his body a little, allowing herself to fantasize for a second. Snapping her attention back to the real world, she blushed a little more. "Are you here with a bunch of friends too?" She asked.

"Yeah, it was great day so we decided to some by the lake to relax." He looked at her a little more closely. "How about you? I haven't seen you since graduation."

"Actually, I'm still going to high school. The month I missed recuperating because of, well, you know..."

Clark nodded and let her continue.

"I lost too much time to learn what I needed for college. They let me graduate, but I still had to come back for another semester to finish up my courses."

Clark smiled back at her. He was glad that she seemed happy. "How is your mother?" He asked, somewhat reluctantly.

Her smile faltered as she took a deep breath. "She's doing as well as can be expected. She's still in Bell Reeve at the moment, but hopefully soon they'll let her out."

Clark could see the pain in her eyes. He had felt bad that he and Lois had essentially put her there, but her mother had gone off the deep end. "If there is anything I can do." He said, implying that he would help in any way possible.

She just smiled at him once again. "It's okay; she has to work out her own demons before they let her go. I can wait." She paused and stared into his blue eyes. "Clark?" She asked, working up all her courage.

"Yes?" He replied, frowning down at her in anticipation of her question.

"Are you free tomorrow night?"

Clark looked down at her, his eyebrows shooting up a little. "I think so." He said with an unsteady voice. He wasn't quite sure what she was getting at, but he had somewhat of an idea.

She blinked, mustering all her courage to herself. "There's this silly high school dance tomorrow night. I didn't want to go, but my friends convinced me." She shuffled her feet, looked down at them, and looked back up at him. "I was just wondering if you'd be my date."

He was a little taken back. They didn't know each other very well, if fact, he hadn't spoken to her since commencement. "I'm surprised Abby, Isn't there someone better to take you. Like a classmate or something." He tried to back out of the question. "You're very attractive, I'm sure you've had a bunch of guys ask you already."

She shook her head, her golden locks dancing on her shoulders. "No, not really. They are afraid at what I might do to them. I can't hurt anyone anymore, I can assure you, but they are still hesitant." She paused to try and read his face. "You were always friendly to me Clark, even before I looked like this."

Clark was having trouble deciding what to say. She was certainly a beautiful woman, but all he could think about was Lois. They were starting a relationship, but one that they were trying to keep hidden. If he said no to Abby, he was sure to get questions thrown his way at why he turned down such a gorgeous woman. This was Lois's idea he told himself. If she wanted to keep their relationship a secret to the public, she'd have to be willing to let him do this, even if to just keep everyone else thinking that there was nothing between them.

"Sure Abby. I'd be glad to escort you." He said it with a little regret, but he wasn't going to begin to raise suspicion. "What time do I need to pick you up?" Each word bit into his self conscious, but he steeled himself.

"Around eight. You know where I live?" She asked.

Clark could only nod, his throat tightening. "What should I be wearing, casual or formal?"

She smiled wide at him, her teeth cracking her lips. Her blue eyes twinkled in the afternoon sun. "Just dress casual Clark." She said, still smiling. She put her hand in her shoulder bag and pulled out a piece of paper. "Here's my number." She said, scribbling it down and handing it to him. "Call me just before you leave so I can make sure I'm ready."

"Okay." He said, taking the piece of paper as she went up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." She said with a happy note. Letting her feet back down and turning to walk away.

Clark watched her disappear as he looked down at the piece of paper. What did he just do? He asked himself. Lois was going to tear him a new one when she got him alone. He started feeling really guilty, as if he was cheating on her. He shook his head clear of those thoughts and headed back to the others by the lake.

Chloe was grabbing a soda from the cooler when she heard Clark's voice.

"Did someone call me?" he asked.

"No." Chloe replied. "We may have said your name, but we didn't call you. Sorry we woke you."

"Nah, that's okay. I wasn't really all that tired anyway." He slapped the piece of paper back and forth on his left hand.

Lex, noticing the paper is his hand lifted an eyebrow. "What do you have there Clark?" He asked, a little curious.

"A phone number." He replied coolly, not bothering to look over at Lois.

Chloe was more than a little intrigued. "Whose phone number do you have there?" She asked, her voice a little giddy.

"You remember Abby?"

"The girl who had all that plastic surgery?"

"That's the one." He said, finally looking over at Lois. She had a strange look on her face.

"Why do you have her number Clark?" Lana asked.

Clark looked away from Lois to stare at the others. He tried to keep his voice as steady as he could. "She just asked me out for tomorrow night."

"What did you say?" Lois asked him, steadily as possible. She showed no emotion, but inside she was conflicted. She knew that he had to say yes to keep everyone else from getting suspicious. She suddenly regretted not going public with their relationship, but she bit her tongue, ready to endure his answer.

"I said yes of course." His mouth curled up in a tight smile. It tore him apart inside to act so coy, but he had no choice.

Lois felt her insides churn as she heard his answer. She almost threw up, but kept her emotions to herself. She could see the look in Clark's eyes. He was hurting too, but she was doing a better job of hiding it.

Chloe frowned at him. What Lois and Clark had done was really no big deal. She had trouble thinking that, but from what Clark had just told everyone, it was true. "So, where are you going?"

Clark tucked the piece of paper into his pocket. "She said there was a school dance tomorrow evening."

"High School dance? Come on Smallville, you're in college." Lois masked her emotions by badgering him as usual.

"I know I know." He repeated. "I'm not too fond of the idea, but she is my age. It's not like I'm doing something illegal." He glared back at Lois, his eyes hinting at an, I'm sorry.

She snorted at him. "I think you're just looking for another notch on your belt…Smallville." The smirk on her face was like none she had ever given him before.

Clark choked on air. The others around him were doing the same. Lex on the other hand was rolling in laughter. What in the world has gotten into him? Clark asked himself. Andrea must have really been loosening him up. He tried to answer Lois's question, but every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but falter.

She held fast to her smile. The look that passed over Clark's face brought her all the joy in the world. She might have had feelings for him, but she couldn't help not poking fun at him, if only a little bit. "What, cat got your tongue?" She teased him some more.

Clark just glared at her and went to the cooler. He grabbed a soda and opened it. "You find it fun to bust my chops?" He asked, sarcastically. Her smirk edged him on. He put his hand in his pocket and fumbled for her keys. Taking them out, he dangled them in front of her. "I don't think you'll find it so funny once I toss these in the water." His grin now overshadowed hers.

Her smirk disappeared as she stared at him. "You wouldn't dare." She spewed at him.

"I would." He replied, turning towards the water and tossing the keys into it. They hit the water with a surprisingly loud splash. The only thing louder than the splash though, was Lois's scream.


	15. Chapter 15

Ch. 15

Lois shrieked and went running after her keys. She plunged into the water, never taking her eyes off the spot that they landed in. She cursed Clark again as she went head first down into cold lake. The sun was still high up in the sky, distorting the view under the water. She squinted, looking left to right. They should be right here she cursed to herself.

Clark stood smiling to himself. He had watched Lois scream in anger and go after her keys. He looked into the water. He could see her searching for them, but she wasn't having any luck. He could see them though. They were right under her nose.

"Clark, that was mean." Chloe said, staring at her friend, whose grin was as wide as a canyon. "Don't just stare out at the water. Help her."

Clark tore his attention from Lois and fixated his glare on Chloe. "She started it." He held fast to his grin. "I can give just as well as I can take." He winked at her and looked back out into the water. Lois was still under, looking for her keys.

"Clark!" Chloe said with a menacing voice.

"Fine, I'm going." His words didn't mask his frustration. He walked slowly out to the water, each step bring him closer to the women that was going to tear his eyes out. Almost regretting what he had done, he took a few steps into the water. The closer and closer he got, the more his heart began to beat. He was nervous, no wait, he was anxious. He couldn't make up his mind as he got close to Lois, her head popping up out of the water.

Seeing the source of her frustration, she blurted out angrily. "Damn you Smallville! What the hell did you do that for?" Her anger was dwindling away as she stared at his smiling face. It melted her insides.

"You want to make fun of me; you're not getting a free ride anymore. There will be consequences miss Lane." His sarcastic tone had the desired effect on her.

"I swear, if you keep smiling like that at me, I'm going to have to slap it off you." She poked him in the chest as he got right up to her. "Now, help me find my keys, or I'll do just that."

He went under the water with her. He spotted the keys right away, but he let her search a little more first. Grabbing the keys, he slipped them into his pocket. He tugged on her arm and pointed up.

She nodded and swam upwards. His arm was on hers the whole time. Even in the cold water, his touch was still surprisingly warm. She let him half drag her up as she daydreamed a little.

He was almost pulling her up as they reached the surface. "Gees Lois, don't you know how to swim? I was practically dragging you." He saw the strange look on her face. Frowning a little, he shook her arm. "Lois?"

"Oh, Smallville. Right." She snapped out of her daydream.

"What in the world were you thinking? If I hadn't dragged you up, you would have drowned." His voice was low and concerned.

"You." She replied simply. She wasn't about to lie to him, they were starting a relationship, even if it was a secret one. She brought herself back to reality again. "Did you find my keys?" She asked.

Clark reached under the water and into his pockets. Luckily they were still in a shallow area, or he would have dropped straight down. The water was only at chest level, but Lois was just able to keep her chin above the water. He found the keys and brought them up. "Yep, right here."

She grabbed them as quickly as she could. She wasn't going to take the chance of him throwing them again. "Thank you." She said as she gripped them tightly. She smiled at him as he grinned at her. That smile could bend her to his every will she realized. "I swear Clark; you have to stop smiling at me. You make my knees weak just doing it."

He grabbed her arm again. "Don't drown on me now Lois." He poked a little fun at her expense. "Don't lose those again, I won't find them more you next time."

She playfully slapped his chest, still holding firmly to the keys in her other hand. "If you throw them away again, I'll make sure you're physically unable to find them again." She smirked at him. He was smiling back at her as she was suddenly pulled underwater. She was a little scared, but when she saw that it was him that had pulled her under, she grabbed a hold of him and gave him a kiss.

They lingered for a few moments, not wanting to let go of each other.

She admired the warmth of his body as she was pressed up against it. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath from his seemingly unending reservoir, and went back above the water.

He lingered under the water, admiring her body as she went above the surface. He traced his finger on her hip, feeling her shiver at his touch. He tickled her stomach a little, feeling her stomach tighten as he rubbed it soothingly.

She let out a breathless gasp as he rubbed her. She became suddenly aroused as he let his hand slip away. She let out a dissatisfying moan, missing the touch of him. She smiled again as she saw him come back up. "You shouldn't have stopped." She said, still slightly aroused.

"I'm sorry." He said, grinning at her still. Silence settled on them as he lost his smile. She was going to talk about Abby, he could just feel it.

"Your date tomorrow Clark, I hope that you're not doing this in spite of me. We agreed that we would start something, but I hope this one night won't cloud that decision." She looked at him, her eyes pleading.

He could hear the fright in her voice. Lois never showed any feelings, other than anger, but now he was seeing a different side of her. He looked over her shoulder to see that the others weren't watching. He reached out and grabbed her hands. Staring straight into her eyes, he squeezed her fingers with his. "Lois. There is no way I would do anything to hurt you. You know that."

It was her turn to squeeze back. "I do know that, but it's good to hear it once and a while." She smiled at him, her eyes filled with lust. "I'm not worried about you. It's Abby I'm worried about."

Clark tried to reassure her. "Don't be, I won't let anything happen." He could see by the way she was looking at him, she still wasn't convinced. He squeezed her hands tighter. "We will just dance; I won't even let her kiss me."

"I want to believe you Clark, but she is a beautiful woman, no man would be able to resist her." Her worry was beginning to eat away at her gut.

He traced her cheek with his thumb. "You will learn Lois, that I'm not like most men." He paused when he got to her chin, lifting her face to meet his eyes. He was dead serious about his intentions. He wasn't going to do anything to hurt her. "I don't know how I could be seduced by her when I know there is somebody else I have my eye on. I promise you, there could be no one else."

She smiled. She never felt happier. His words came out so well, she could tell it was the truth. "Thank you." She whispered as she pulled him back under the water to kiss him. She lost herself in his breath, as they spent what seemed like hours, locked together in a tight embrace.

Chloe looked out to the water. She couldn't see Clark or Lois. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she frowned. Clark should have found the keys by now. He wasn't so cruel as to play with Lois after the way she reacted to his tossing of her keys. Her frown disappeared as she saw them both come up about the water.

Lois walked up on shore, letting the sun warm her body as the cold water dripped from her skin. She could feel Clark's eyes on her body as she squeezed the water from her hair. She was regretting again not telling everyone that they were starting something, she badly wanted his arms around her. Taking a deep breath, she took the keys and tossed them up in the air a little. They were about to land back in her palm when she saw a hand dart out and catch them before she could.

Clark grabbed the keys and motioned to throw them back in. He was just joking, but the glare that he got from Lois caused his grin to falter. He handed them back to her. "Sorry."

She glared at him menacingly. "You bet you are. I couldn't even begin to think what I'd do to you if you threw those back in."

He grinned at her. "I'll let you show me later." His laughter was contagious as she was swept up in it with him.

She felt her anger disappear as she joined in his mirth. He really did know how to make her smile. Settling herself down, she walked away from him, her smile disappearing as she saw Chloe staring at her as she got nearer and nearer to her. "What is it Chloe?"

"Did you find your keys?" She asked, but her mind wanted to ask other questions.

"Yes." She answered. "Well, Clark found them, but I have them none the less." She walked past her cousin and grabbed her towel. She tossed the keys in her bag as she began to dry herself off. Peaking out behind the towel as she dried her hair, she could see Chloe's glare still directed at her. "I'm going to slap that look off your face." She threatened, laughing a little.

Chloe continued to glare at her. "What were you and Clark talking about out there?" She was sure something strange was going on. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

Clark squeezed Chloe's shoulder. "She was just telling me what to wear. If you can remember, I'm not one for style." He looked from Lois down to Chloe.

Chloe looked at him and back to Lois. "Are you sure that's all you were talking about?" She was determined to get to the bottom of why they were acting so strange.

Clark was about to answer her, but Lois interrupted.

"Well, that's not all we talked about." She let her gaze slide from her cousin to Clark. She smirked at him. "I also told his to use protection." She smiled as both Chloe and Clark choked a little. She winked at her cousin. "The world would be better place without a little Smallville running around."

Clark seethed. Her last comment, even if it was only meant as a joke, rubbed him the wrong way. Turning his attention from the two of them, he found his towel and began to dry off. The afternoon sun was getting warmer. He could feel the energy emanating from it as he let the towel slip from his hands and back onto the sand. Wiping his brow, he sat down on it and laid back, closing his eyes.

"Hot isn't it?" He heard Lex's voice from behind him. He wished people would stop talking. They had interrupted him earlier when he was napping. He shrugged it off as an accident, but it was becoming too frequent now. "It sure is." He replied, not even bothering to open his eyes.

Lex sat down beside him, close enough to make sure no one else could hear him. "The girls are having a night out by themselves. Just wondering what you were up to?"

Clark opened his eyes to see Lex sitting beside him, staring out at the water. "I'm not doing anything. Why, you have something in mind?" He asked

"Well, not really. I just thought since the girls were going to spend the evening at the Talon, I figured we might do something."

"Sounds okay to me Lex, but let's not just sit around and watch TV. I've had it with college football." He was really getting tired of spending his weekend nights watching football. He did love the game, but he had a limit to how much he could take.

Lex nodded. "Well, how about we go to Metropolis? We could watch the Met-U game in person. We could take the chopper."

Clark didn't like taking the chopper, he was afraid of heights, but it sounded like a good idea. "I guess so." He said coolly.

Lex looked down at Clark and frowned. "Where is my car Clark?" He asked. He didn't want to ask, but he needed to know.

Clark opened his eyes and looked up at Lex. "I have no idea. Those hookers took it after they tried to kill me. You'd have a better guess than me." His voice had an underlying tone to it. He wasn't sure if Lex would pickup on it.

"So, you know about my little birthday present huh?" He didn't care if Clark found out. "What worries me though is that they tried to kill you. Why would they do that?"

"I was hoping you might give me some explanation." Clark wasn't in the mood for having Lex avoid the question, but he asked anyway.

Lex looked down at Clark. "I have no idea. I got them because I was told they were the best. I haven't even hired them before. You have to believe me Clark, I had no idea they'd do anything to hurt you." He searched Clarks face for understanding.

Clark could hear the truth in Lex's words. He took a deep sigh. "I know Lex, I just wanted to make sure. I've got a million questions that I'd like answered."

"Me too." Lex said. "I'll look into it."

"Thanks." Clark responded quietly.

Something was eating a Lex's mind. "How did they try to kill you? There were three of them. How did you escape?"

Clark sat up and looked at Lex. "I had pulled over to get out, and when I refused to have sex with them, the brunette tried to kick my head off my shoulders." He stopped for a second, trying to make up the rest of his lie. "Luckily I had tripped on in a pot hole before she kicked, or I would have been dead. I've never seen anyone move that fast. It was like she was in some kind super speed."

Lex frowned some more. His tale was getting more bizarre by the second. "So you're telling me that these women had special abilities?"

"Yes, but the weirdest thing was that they didn't want me for pleasure. They told me that they were never denied their business." Clark was searching his own head for answers.

Everything wasn't making sense for Lex. "I'm sorry about all this Clark. The present, what happened and how I almost got you killed." He took a second and thought about it a little more. "How did you manage to escape, and where is my car?"

Clark sighed a little. "Lois interrupted us. They freaked a little and took off in your car. Don't even begin to ask where they went with it." He looked back out to the water. "No need to be sorry Lex, it wasn't your fault that they were crazy. I can help look for your car if you want."

"No, no need to. I have a GPS on it for security reasons. It shouldn't be hard to find." He was curious to know where these girls went. He wanted to get his car back, but most of all; he wanted to talk to them.

Clark, tired of the subject, changed it. "So, what time are we leaving?" He asked.

"Game is at seven, and we can get to Met-U in about in hour, in the chopper of course." He looked to the sky for a second. "I'd say be at the mansion at around half after five."

Clark nodded. "Actually." He said, turning to Lex suddenly. "What time is it now?"

Lex reached over and picked up his cell phone. Flipping it open he looked to see what time it was. "Whoa, it's almost four-thirty." He said, turning back to Clark. "The afternoon sure went quickly didn't it?"

"It sure has." Clark agreed, getting up and grabbing his towel. Draping it over his shoulders, he walked up to the four girls. "Lex and I are heading off to Metropolis for the Met-U game."

"Well, have good time Clark." Chloe said as all four of them looked up at him.

Clark nodded and looked to Lois. "Come on Lois, we have to go."

She looked up at him and frowned. "What are you talking about Smallville. I'm not going to the game with you." She was being a little belligerent, but she smiled the whole time.

Clark glared at her. "I know that." He scowled. "It's almost four-thirty and we have to be back for dinner." He went over and picked up the cooler in his left hand.

Lois sat a little more upright. "It can't be that late?" She declared to herself. She looked over a Chloe. She got a nod from her cousin. Jumping to her feet, she grabbed her bag and towel. Stuffing the towel into the bag, she looked over at the others. "I'll see you all later." She smiled at them and followed after a disappearing Clark Kent.

Chloe turned to Lex as she saw him approaching. "How are you going to get to Metropolis so quickly?" She asked.

"Chopper." Lex said simply.

"Ahh." She breathed.

"How are you girls getting to the Talon later?" He asked.

Lana answered his question. "Andrea invited us to supper with you two. Then we'll give her ride to the talon with us."

Lex looked over at Andrea and smiled. "I didn't know we were having guests."

Andrea got up off her blanket and kissed him. "Is it okay?" She asked, trying to seduce him into saying yes.

"Of course it is." He said, kissing her back. "We better head back now though, Clark and I have to leave in about an hour." He picked up his things and made to leave.

The rest of them began to gather their things and head towards Chloe's car.

Clark dropped the cooler in the back of Lois's car and grabbed his shirt out of her bag. Slipping it on, he went for the passenger door, but Lois tossed him the keys.

"You drive, I'm still a little sleepy from earlier." She smiled at him and walked around the car.

He was a little shocked that she wanted him to drive. He caught the keys and watched her come around. He opened the door for her as she came around. "You better put your clothes on." He said with a smile.

"Why?" She asked; a little pout on her face.

"Because, if you don't, I'm not going to be able to keep my eyes on the road." With that he pushed the door shut and went around to the driver's seat. He could see her smile as he got in and turned on the car.

She grinned from ear to ear, her cheeks hurting a little. She reached into the back seat and dug through her bag. Grabbing her shirt and jeans, she glared at Clark. "You're telling me to cover up. I'd have half the mind to think my body is just making you horny again." She chuckled a little.

Clark laughed with her as he put on his seatbelt. Pulling the car out of the parking space, he adjusted the side mirror. "You know, if I could be so forward as to say yes to that question. Would you hold it against me?" He looked over at her, his eyes gleaming with mirth.

She was a little surprised at his comeback. He was certainly getting bolder. Looking at him with and incredulous eye, she smirked at him. "First you tell me to put on my clothes, and then you're telling me to put my body up against you. What is wrong with you Smallville?"

He glanced back at her as he pulled onto the road. "I like your company Lois, but like I said earlier. When you're almost naked and rubbing up against me, I don't think I could control myself."

She snorted at him. "I thought you were the one who told me you weren't like other guys. Any guy would lose control of themselves if I was rubbing up against them half naked." She laughed a little. "You just contradicted yourself." She chortled out a laugh again.

He glared back at her, his smile disappearing a little. "I may not be like other guys, but that doesn't mean I don't have the same urges."

She grinned at him. Making him uncomfortable was always the best part of her day. She slid over next to him, lifted his arm and nestled into the crook of his shoulder. "Mmm." She moaned softly. His body felt so good, so close. She hugged onto his arm, messaging and stroking it. "Those farm chores have sure done a number on your body." She admired his muscles as she scratched her nose.

He smiled at her compliment. Taking his hand and rubbing her thigh, he looked down at her smiling face. Her eyes were closed in content. "I'm not the only one with some muscle." He said, squeezing her thigh.

She squealed a little and pinched him. He didn't even flinch as she pinched him a little harder. Perplexed, she looked up at him, her eyelashes beating seductively. "Can you not feel that?" She asked.

"I can feel it, but I'm not going to give you any satisfaction." He looked down at her and gave her a little kiss. Pulling away, he grinned at her. "I know you like to play with me. If fact, I enjoy it too, but what kind of person would I be if I let you win." He stared back at the road, his foot pushing heavily on the pedal. He felt the car gather more power as it pulled itself along the gravel road.

She felt his lips press up to her quickly, but they left just before she could kiss him back. "Hey." She said, hungry for more. Grabbing his cheek with one hand, she pulled him back to her to finish her kiss. She felt his tongue move around as she groped it with her lips. She broke the kiss, realizing that he had to pay attention to the road. If he wasn't driving, she would have taken him. "I really need to take you shopping." She said, out of the blue.

"What?" He asked, surprised at her sudden statement. "Why?"

She could hear his heart beat in his chest as she snuggled into him even more. "You need to find some nice clothes for your date tomorrow. You can't go to the dance dressed in a t-shirt or a plaid shirt. I'm taking you shopping tomorrow." She rubbed her hand up and down his chest to comfort him.

Clark groaned. He hated shopping. "Do you know why I wear only wear t-shirts, plaid, and jeans?"

"No. Why?"

"I wear them because that way my mom can buy them for me. I don't like shopping." He was dead serious, but she was laughing at him.

"That is the lamest excuse I've ever heard. You're just lazy, but at least you're honest." She poked him with her middle finger. "Tomorrow I'm taking you shopping. You can count on it."

Clark gripped the wheel a little harder. "You're telling me that on our first date, you're going to be dragging me around from store to store looking for clothes? I don't know Lois, I pictured dinner." He looked back down to see her jovial face.

She chuckled as she felt the car reach pavement. "We had sex before we are having our first date. I don't think an awkward first date is in order. I'm going to nag you like we've been going out for years."

He groaned again, wrapping his arm around her tighter. "I'm not ready to be married yet." He said sarcastically.

She punched him in the leg, his muscles hard as stone. He was such a strong figure. She may have been an independent and strong woman, but he made her feel like a little girl again. "I don't know about marriage Smallville, I don't think we're there yet." There wasn't any seriousness to her words. "I think with the way we started, I'd have to be pregnant before we get married."

Clark was really uncomfortable with the way she was talking. Maybe she could be so casual about the subject of marriage, but he had learned his lesson in the marriage game. It wasn't something he liked to remember, even if it had been one of the happier times in his life. "I know you're just joking Lois, but please don't speak about marriage. It makes me uneasy."

She couldn't help but pick up on what he was meaning. "I'm sorry; I almost forgot you were married once." She puckered her lips in defense of her words. She could remember those few days after his marriage. They were the hardest and most painful of Clark's life. "I didn't think you'd ever do something so ridiculous in your life. I thought your parents had brought you up better than that." She was being serious, but for some reason she could sense his anger rising.

"I really don't want to talk about it. It's not a part of my life that I'm proud of. With what happened this morning, it's festering on my mind again, and I don't need you reminding me too." His anger was coming out as he finished his last sentence.

Seeing that he was upset, she patted his arm with her hand. She shifted herself so that her legs were sticking out across the seat and her back was resting right up on his side. Moving his arm up under her chin, she kissed the back of his hand. "I'm sorry." She said, being serious for once.

Clark sighed heavily. "It's okay. I just have a hard time dealing with the past. I find it too depressing." He was tired of dealing with his past; he wanted to look to the future.

"Why?" She asked. Her curiosity was getting the best of her.

He really didn't want to talk about it, but she was going to be an important part of his life and he couldn't just give her the cold shoulder. "My problem with the past is that when you reminisce about it, you can only remember the painful times. I do understand that learning from your mistakes is a good thing, but dwelling on those mistakes had a poor effect on my present being." He paused for a second to let her understand. He saw the confused look on her face and tried to put it another way. "The best example I can give you is when Lana and I broke up. I spent all my time thinking about the past. I kept going over and over what had gone wrong, and how I should have acted differently. I didn't realize that my past is my biggest demon." He stopped suddenly, choosing his words carefully. "Little did I know that it would only take one woman to keep my mind on the present."

She smiled wide at his final words. They were so reassuring that all she could do was hold onto his arm tighter, not wanting to let go. "Is that when you began to pay more attention to me?" She asked. "When you broke up with Lana?"

"Pay attention to your advice yes, but not to you as a sex object." He took his gaze from the road and winked at her.

She hit him with her elbow, poking him in the ribs. "Is that what you see me as now? You're going to stop paying attention to my mouth, and start expecting me to be your personal sex slave. I'm sorry to disappoint you Smallville, my mouth comes along with my body."

"Can I just put some tape on it when I feel the need to?" He pestered her a little more.

She elbowed him again, this time a lot harder. She smiled as she felt him squirm.

Clark wiggled around little, trying to get more comfortable. "Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Whatever do you mean?" She asked, mimicking proper English, poking him again with her elbow. She knew exactly what he was getting at.

"I mean, why do you always feel the need to poke or hit me. Don't I take enough verbal abuse from you that I don't warrant physical abuse?"

Lois poked him again, just for fun. "Are you telling me that it hurts you? Come on, I thought you were tougher than that." The laugh escaping her throat was cut off as they took a sharp turn. Regaining her voice, she watched the hydro poles pass by at a steady rate. "I will try to control myself, but I have to tell you. It feels good to poke and hit you."

"Why does it feel so good?" He asked, looking down at the back of her head. Her hair was still a little wet, but the sun and wind was doing a good job drying it out.

"If feels good." She began. "Because it's something I can do to bug you, knowing that you won't do it back." She turned her head to look at him role his eyes. She turned back to look out the side of the car. "You're not going to start poking me are you?" She asked, her mouth curling up in a smirk.

He couldn't see her face but somehow he knew she was smiling. "I would never poke or hit you. I'm not an abuser like you. I'm only going to poke you in one way, and I'll make sure you'll enjoy it."

She coughed. What he just said had taken her by surprise. He was just as dirty minded as she was. "Who said I'm ever going to let you do that again. It could have been on time thing for all you know."

"So you're telling me that you only did it for my benefit? You got no satisfaction out of it? Hmm, maybe I should see if Abby would enjoy it, since you obviously don't." He felt her tickle his hand in response. "Maybe we should hold off on the physical side until I say we're ready."

Lois laughed loudly. "You may say you're not like most men, but if I try to seduce you, you'll succumb to my wishes." She was enjoying herself too much to stop. "I'll be the one to say when we do that sort of thing again."

Clark tickled her stomach with his free hand. "You're just like the typical good looking bimbo. You use your body to seduce men and take advantage of them. You believe that controlling them with your sexual advances and seduction is the key to getting exactly what you want." He took a second to laugh at himself. "Next thing I know I'll find out that you are only with me for my money and the public eye candy."

"Eye candy is right." She stated. She got a little more amused when he squeezed her a little tighter to him. "If you have any dreams of me being with you for money, remember, you live on a farm and I have a father with unlimited government funding. If anything, I should be worried about you and your aspirations for money."

Clark laughed at her words. He slowed the car down as he went over a hill, his stomach moving up and down uneasily. "If I wanted money Lois, I'd just hold out on you until I made you pay for it. I could tell you wanted it, you were the one who kissed me."

Tugging on his fingers with her hand, she pulled out a couple of his knuckle hairs. He didn't even flinch, yet again. She didn't bother to ask him, he was different, and that's why she felt so comfortable with him. "Why is it that you always let me win?" She asked, wanting know why he always gave up on their bickering.

"I know that you enjoy it too much to lose. I try not to back down and let you win, but truthfully, I would never win, so I give up." He waited for her to say something back, but when she didn't, he added something at the last second. "It's actually the only way I can get you to keep your mouth shut." He was going to win this one. He thought he had when she didn't respond.

She sat there silently, content on holding him as they made their way back to the farm. "This whole bickering thing we do, is it just a ploy to bug me, or do you do it to keep it from getting quiet?" She had remembered him telling her once that exact thing, but she didn't think he was serious.

Clark thought about his answer. "I'm not one for continuous conversation, but you are. I never wanted to let you feel uncomfortable around me. That's why I always had a comeback on the tip of my tongue." He turned his head and kissed the top of her head reassuringly.

She grabbed his hand with both of hers and wrapped it underneath her chin, just wanting to feel the warmth of his body. It all felt so right. How they first met, how they spent so much time together, and how they conveyed their feelings for the first time. Their friendship was always a different one, and now their relationship had started off differently as well. She was falling asleep holding his hand in hers when she heard a horn from behind.

"Stay low." Clark said, looking in his mirror to see Chloe's car. "Get lower and move to your seat. Chloe is right behind us. Do whatever you have to; just don't let them see us like this."

She squeezed his hand in understanding. Letting go of it, she slinked down by the floor, her shirt lifting up as she slid off the seat. She put her shirt back down as she ducked below the back of the seat. Planting herself in her seat, still invisible to those behind them, she put on her seatbelt. She heard the horn again, this time deciding to show where she was. She stretched upwards, as if waking from a nap.

Looking back, she acted surprised to see them. With a wave, she turned her attention back to the road ahead. "What do they want?" She asked Clark, still looking at the road.

"I have no idea." He answered, looking into his mirror. "They're going to pass us though."

Lois looked behind again at Chloe with three passengers in her car. She was trying to pass, but every hill was impeding her attack. "Are you going to let her pass you Smallville?" She asked, bugging him. "This car has more than double the power of that thing."

Clark looked in his mirror again. "I'm not even going to dignify a response to her passing attempts. I could wipe out her little piece of bug shit in a second, but I'm not going to do anything that might get us hurt." He was still staring into his side view mirror while keeping an eye on the road.

"Come on Smallville, you're going to go all Boy Scout on me now." She was bugging him for fun, but his face didn't show he was taking it very well. "Clark?" She asked, her voice more serious this time.

"Lois! Do I have to remind me that you almost got us killed this morning because you were driving like a maniac? I've had enough excitement for one day, how about you?" He was staring at her, his eyes glowing in anger. He softened his facial features as he noticed her falter. "I'm sorry." He said after a few seconds. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay. You're right; we shouldn't do anything else stupid today. We're pushing our luck." She said it to make him happy, but she was concerned at the way he had snapped. His anger wasn't really misplaced, but it certainly didn't seem that necessary. "Why are you acting so angry? I didn't mean to make you mad."

Clark, afraid that he had scared her, reached over and took her hand in his. Squeezing it reassuringly, he looked from the road to her. "It's not you. It's everything that has happened today. I'm feeling as if everything that has happened is going to come to point later. It's got me concerned."

She smiled at him and squeezed back. "Don't worry Clark, nothing will happen. I think with all that happened today, us being together is the point at which it all was heading for." She didn't know if she believed it or not herself, but she didn't want to think otherwise.

Clark disengaged their hands as he watched Chloe pass them. He stared at them with a menacing glare as they all smiled at him. He and Lois watched as the car in front of them disappeared, turning left up ahead. He made a right turn instead of a left, the farm on a different block than the Mansion.

He pulled onto the gravel road as the dust began to fly. He heard Lois cough a little as he took the corner. The sun was still hot, but it wasn't as high in the sky. The wind hurled the dust around the car violently, the sun disappearing in the thick dust. He sped up a little to get away from the dust cloud.

"I thought you said you weren't taking any chances?" Lois said sarcastically. Her face was smirking at him.

He looked at her with a sloppy grin. "I'm not, but I'd rather go a little faster than choke on dust. Wouldn't you?"

"I guess so." She said, looking behind the car to see the large cloud of dust. It was a lot larger than she had thought. "I hope it rains soon." She said aimlessly to herself.

Clark thought she was talking to him. "It's not going to rain for a while, or so the paper says." He looked over at her and smiled. He admired her smile as it lit up the afternoon. Seeing her like that was better than her picking on him.

He pulled into the farm laneway as the dust almost caught up with them. He noticed that the truck wasn't there. He searched the farm for it, but he couldn't find it.

Lois, thinking the same thing, turned to him. "Your dad must have gone to pick up your mom. The talon evening staff should be working tonight." She gave him a reassuring smirk as they stopped in front of the house.

He turned off the car, leaving the keys in the ignition. No one was going to steal it. Getting out, he grabbed the cooler out of the back seat and headed for the porch. He felt Lois's hand slip into his as he boarded the steps. With a steady hand, he opened the door and dropped the cooler on the floor. In one smooth motion he turned Lois around in front of him put his lips to hers.

She draped her arms around his neck as she lifted herself to meet his lips. The played on each others tongues as she felt the screen door hit her softly from behind. Giggling a little at the bump on her bottom, she closed her eyes as he lifted her off the floor, his hands holding tightly to her thighs. He was so strong, she thought to herself.

He set her down on the island counter and began to work on her neck. He smiled as she let out a sharp breath and a satisfied moan. The phone began to ring as he brought his lips back to meet hers. Pulling away slightly, he looked at the closed eyes of Lois Lane. "Think I should get that?" He asked, not wanting to leave her.

"Hmm?" She said, still lost in his scent. "Oh!" She snapped back to reality. "You better. It could be your parents."

Clark gave her quick peck before grabbing the phone. "Hello?" He paused. "Oh, Hi Mom…."

Lois looked around the island she was sitting on. There was mail on the corner. Grabbing the pile, she searched for anything that might be hers. She didn't find any for herself, but there was an envelope for Clark. He was still on the phone when she interrupted him. "Mail Smallville." She said, waving it at him.

"Open it." He told her, turning his attention back to the phone. "Okay Mom. See you in a bit." He hung up the phone and turned back to Lois. "So, what did I get?" He asked, watching her open the envelope.

She opened the envelope and pulled out a little card. "A wedding invitation." She said, surprised. She certainly didn't know anyone getting married, and by the look on Clark's face, he didn't either.

"Whose name is on the card?" He asked, confused.

"Victor Stone." She said, looking up at him with quizzical glance. "Know him?"

Clark nodded and took the card from her. He looked it over carefully. "Looks like Victor is getting married." There was a happy note to his voice.

"You don't sound too surprised." She pointed out. "How do you know him?" She asked, surprised to find out that he had friends that didn't live in Smallville.

Clark set the card down on the island. "I helped Victor out of a jam in Metropolis a while back. We used to play football against each other before that." He smiled at the memory. Victor was a special guy in his own right, and now he was getting married. "He's going to marry his high school sweetheart. Good to see that things are working out for him. He was in a little trouble a while back."

She looked at him, her smile replacing her questioning frown. That was Clark, always helping others. "Well, it says here that it's in two weeks from today. You're going to go right?"

"Of course." He said enthusiastically. "You're welcome to tag along."

"Are you sure? I thought we were going to be secretive about our relationship." She was trying to grasp what he was getting at.

"I know, but the wedding is in Metropolis. No one we know will be there. We can actually go out and be a couple, without having to hide it." He stood in front of her, put his hands on the island table to each side of her and leaned in. "That's only if you want to go with me." He teased. "We might be broken up by then, but it's only two weeks away. We might make it until then."

She melted at his grin. "If we make it until then." She smirked at him. "I'll go." She leaned out a little and put her forehead to his and looked into his eyes. "What did your mom have to say?"

He let her rest her forehead on his own as he pushed his nose to hers. "They are bringing take out home with them. They should be here in about five minutes." He smiled at her as she closed the rest of the way to meet his lips.

She closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure as he bit her lip a little. She pulled back a bit and looked at him. "Good, then we have four minutes to have a little fun before we are at each others throat's again."

He smiled back, pushing his mouth back onto hers. He forced her down so that her back was lying on the island table as he leaned overtop of her.


	16. Chapter 16

Ch. 16

Lois lost herself in his mouth, her eyes closing as she moved her tongue on his. She swallowed; the lump in her throat was pushing its way up. Managing to moan through his constant assault, she began to rub her hands through his hair. She pulled at his hair suddenly when he nibbled on her top lip. She pulled hard enough to remove a good chunk, but it didn't come out.

He felt her pulling at his hair, rather hard, but he ignored it. Reaching under her head, he cupped it with his left hand as he began to work his other hand up her leg to her hip. He was about to put himself up on the island table with her, but he realized that he would have broken it.

She moaned again, her leg tingling as he stroked his hand up to her waist. She felt him put his hand under her back as she arched it. She was suddenly being lifted from the table, her mouth not leaving his. She opened her eyes to see them heading towards the stairs. "Clark, No."

He stopped in his tracks. He pulled back and looked at her. "You're right; my parents will be home any minute." He was disappointed, but he wasn't going to take the chance of getting caught. Setting her back down on her feet, he kissed her again, wanting the taste of her lips on his for as long as possible before his parents came home.

She could only agree. There wasn't enough time. She was going to say something back to him when he met her lips again. Draping her arms around his neck, she hung from him. Her body weight began to drag her backwards, Clark following after her, his hands still grasping her hips. She hit her butt up against the couch and fell over, Clark toppling onto her.

He jumped up right away, making sure he hadn't hurt her. "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

She frowned at him. "I'm fine. Why are you so worried?"

"I landed on you, I though I might of hurt you." His voice was dead serious.

She smiled at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him back to her. "It's a couch Smallville." She smirked at him again, sliding off the couch. She stood up and gently pushed him onto the couch, making him lye down on it. She positioned herself on top of him, her body falling onto his. She lost all her strength as she fell onto him. She tried to kiss him, but she could only get up to his chest before her head fell down onto it softly.

He put his hand on her back and under her shirt. He rubbed his hand back and forth on her skin, getting a few moans of pleasure out of her. Smiling to himself, he removed it to stroke her hair like he would a cat. "This feels…"

"Right?" She asked, looking up at him, finishing his sentence. She smiled at him, her eyes looking at his perfect face. She saw him nod as he continued to stroke her hair. His finger on her scalp caused a shiver to run up her back.

He felt her wiggle on him. Taking his hand from her hair, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her tighter to him. Just being there, holding her. It was all so right. He sighed in pleasure as he felt her snuggle into him even more tightly. "I don't want this to end." He said without even thinking.

Closing her eyes, she could only moan in response. She didn't want to leave his arms; they were so protective and warm. She was falling asleep on him, too comfortable to stay awake.

He felt his eyes close as they both slowed their breathing down. They were falling asleep, and he couldn't think of anything else he wanted to do. He snapped out of his doze suddenly as he heard a voice from the door, its hinges squeaking.

"Clark, we're home!" His mother said, walking into the door, Jonathon a step behind her.

Lois snapped her head up to look at him. She had lost track of time. Sliding off him, she crawled her way to the other side of the coffee table. She laid flat on her stomach and peeked around it to nod at Clark.

Clark smiled at her got up off the couch. He walked around the couch and towards the kitchen. "What did you pick up?" He asked, catching their attention.

"There you are." He dad said. "Just some fried chicken." He walked around Martha to grab a bunch of plates from the cupboard.

Clark followed after his dad, grabbing the milk from the fridge, and some cups from the same cupboard. "How was your day at work?" He asked his mom, following her into the dining room and putting the cups in the right spots.

"It was like any other day." She said, pulling the bucket out of the bag. Turning back to him she gave him a look of concern. "You're father told me what happened this morning. Are you and Lois okay?" She was genuinely concerned about her son's well being, super powers and all.

"I'm fine mom, so is Lois." He walked back out to the kitchen to grab some forks. He saw Lois peek up over the couch. Looking over to see both his parents sitting down, he smiled back at her and nodded.

"Where is Lois?" His dad asked.

"Right here!" She said cheerfully, walking into the dining room. Her hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders as she sat down. "I'm starving." She stated as she watched Clark sit down at the end of the table. She was sitting across from Martha, with Jonathon on the other end of the table.

Martha put some chicken on her plate and passed it down to Clark. "How was your afternoon at the beach?" She asked her son.

"Interesting to say the least." He replied, putting his own chicken on his plate. He passed the bucket to Lois and looked up at his parents. "You remember Andrea?" He asked, pouring himself a cup of milk.

Jonathon looked at Martha and back at him. "I can't say I remember someone by that name." He grabbed few pieces of chicken as Lois handed him the bucket. "Who was she again?"

Clark took a deep bite into the thigh, the grease from the skin running down his chin. Wiping it away with his finger, he cleaned it on a napkin. "She used to work at the daily planet with Chloe." He looked up at them. The confused look on their faces was the only response he got. He wanted to tell them more, but he couldn't reveal her secret in front of Lois. Glancing over at Lois, he watched her take a healthy bite out of her chicken leg. "She helped Chloe out when she was being mugged a few months ago."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yes. I remember her now." She knew Clark was trying to hide the woman's true identity from Lois. "What about her?"

Lois answered her as Clark was preoccupied with a large piece of chicken in his mouth. "She's Lex's new girlfriend." She picked off the crispy skin of the bird and plucked it into her mouth.

"I thought she wasn't too fond of the Luthors?" Jonathon asked his son.

Clark swallowed and burped a little. "Excuse me." He paused to take a breath. "She's not fond of Lionel. Apparently she feels that Lex is nothing like him." He gave his parents an uneasy look. He could see the concern on their faces. "Oh well. Lex seems to be very fond of her. I'm sure he'll treat her well." He tried to lighten the mood, but it wasn't working.

Lois watched and listened to the air become deathly silent, only the sound of chewing was audible. She decided to break the silence. "Mrs Kent. Chloe and Lana are back for the weekend. I was wondering if we could spend the night at the Talon and watch some movies. I'll lock up when we're done. I promise."

"Sure Lois." Martha replied, passing the mashed potatoes over to her. "Christine should be locking up around nine, so just show up before she leaves. You have your own key even if you do show up later, right?"

Lois nodded to her and passed the potatoes over to Clark.

"I'll tell you, I prefer your mashed potatoes mom. This bought stuff is a little runny." He slopped a spoonful on his plate.

"I know, but dinner wouldn't be until after six if I had decided to cook it. Your father has to do chores at six." She set her cup down and took a deep breath, enjoying the cool taste.

Clark smiled as he took a forkful of potatoes and stuffed it into his mouth. He could see Lois looking over at him every couple of seconds or so. He winked at her, making sure his parents didn't see it.

"What are you up to tonight?" Jonathon asked, looking over at his son.

"Lex and I are heading for Metropolis to watch the college football game." He finished his plate and looked up at the clock. "Whoa, I better get going. I have to be in the chopper in about fifteen minutes." He could hear his dad chuckle as he darted form the table and up to his room.

Lois stood up as she finished her own plate. Grabbing both hers and Clarks, she made her way over to the dishwasher. Opening it with her left hand, she deposited the plates in the appropriate spot. She could hear Clark above her. Smiling a little, she closed the dishwasher and darted up the stairs, not even bothering to give Mr. and Mrs. Kent and explanation for taking off. She went to her room, well Clark's room, and found him without a shirt on, looking for something to wear.

He heard her come in through the doorway. Not taking his eyes off the dresser drawer, he caught her attention. "Have any suggestions?" He asked.

She walked over to him and put a hand on his bare back. "I can't say I do. Just wear a t-shirt and jeans?" She suggested, giving up.

He leaned his head a little in thought. She was right of course. He didn't know what to wear, so he just grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. "You're right again." He said as he slipped the navy blue shirt on. "Turn around." He told her. He had to take his swimming trunks off.

She smirked at him. "Why? It's not like I haven't seen your soldier before." She winked at him, laughing. She turned around though, giving him what little privacy she could. Peeking over her shoulder to look at him, she smiled again.

"Hey, no peeking." He said, pulling on a pair of boxers. He put on his jeans and zipped them up. "I'm going to have to start keeping my clothes downstairs from now on. You're not going to let me change alone anymore are you?" His voice was rising slightly in mirth.

She slapped him playfully on the chest. "You're going to have to stop looking so good if you want me to stop staring." She rubbed her hands up and down his muscular arms.

He smiled at her, his teeth showing. "So you are with me only for my body? Lois, I thought you weren't that shallow?" He was playing with her again.

"I can't help it." She replied, smirking at him. She draped her arms around his waist and hung off him. "Have a good time." She said, looking up into his eyes.

He bent and gave her a kiss. "I will, but you remember to have fun too. Don't get too drunk."

She laughed at his warning. "I could drink all three of them under the table. You don't need to worry about me." She lied, she didn't know for a fact that she could drink more than Andrea, but she was pretty sure she could. She kissed him again, a little longer this time. She watched him disappear out into the hallway, leaving her standing in the middle of the room. Her hand rested on the side of her neck as she smiled to herself.

Darting down the stairs, he went for his good boots. "You don't need the truck do you?" He asked, looking over at his dad who was cleaning up the rest of the table.

"No, take it." He picked up the last plate and went to set it in the dishwasher. "Have fun." He said, looking back over a Clark, but his son was already out the door. Grinning a little, he looked over at his wife and broadened it. "That son of yours can sure be late for someone with lightening speed.

Martha looked up at her husband. "So he's my son now?" She smiled and went back to putting the milk in to the fridge. "It's so good to see him happy. I was worried all day that he was sitting around at home sulking, especially after what happened this morning."

Wrapping his arms around his wife, they watched Clark pull out of the drive way. The dust was collecting around the truck as he sped off. "I think we owe that to Lois. She's been a miracle worker with him." He kissed the top of her head.

"Yes?" She asked, coming up behind them. She smiled at how much they still loved each other after so many years. She only wished some day she could enjoy that feeling. "I heard my name." She said, finally getting their attention.

"Lois." Martha said with emphasis. "We were just saying how nice it's been since you've been living here again. You have sure done a number on Clark. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy."

Lois grinned as she got closer to them. "I'm a miracle worker." She said sarcastically. "Lana showed up at the Lake earlier and declared that she still loved him." She didn't know where that came from, but she was feeling good about herself for some reason. What she said got a surprised look from Mr. and Mrs. Kent. She grinned back at them even wider as she grabbed a glass and filled it with tap water. "He brushed her off like a fly. I was surprised to say the least."

Jonathon let out a deep throaty chuckle. "It's all because of you Lois. If you weren't around to keep him occupied, I think he probably would have gone back to her."

Lois smiled to herself, taking their compliments in stride. She bit onto the cup with her top teeth, daydreaming about Clark.

Jonathon frowned at the way Lois was acting. He had never seen that type of look on her face before. By the way Martha was looking at him; she was a little concerned too. "Lois. Is everything alright?" He asked, like a concerned father.

Lois snapped out of her daydream violently, water escaping the cup and landing on her bare feet. "Oh darn." She said, grabbing the dish towel and wiping up the water. Putting the towel back on the counter she turned to both of them. "I'm fine." She reassured them. "I was just thinking a little. A lot of things have happened today." She smiled again. They knew about some of the happenings, but not all of them. Certain events came back to her as she turned on her heels and almost skipped away.

They looked at one another again, surprised at her attitude. They had never seen her act that way before. "What in the world has gotten into her?" Jonathon asked aimlessly.

Martha looked up. "I have no idea."

-

Clark walked into the mansion, his feet echoing of the floor as he strode to Lex's office. He was sure he'd be there. Opening the doors wide, he walked in. Lex was sitting on the couch with all the others.

"Ready to go Clark?" He asked, standing up.

"I think so." He replied, not too sure if he could handle being in the chopper. Heights really bothered him. He watched Lex give Andrea a kiss and told him to follow him outside. "We're going to be late." Clark stated.

Lex turned his head back to look at him. "Why do you think we're hurrying?" He grinned. Stepping out the side of the mansion, he directed Clark towards the chopper.

Clark followed after him as they entered the chopper, its propeller beginning to turn. "Think we'll make it in time?" He asked, putting on a seat belt.

"I'm not sure Clark, but if we're late, we won't miss too much." Lex put on his seat belt as the chopper began to lift off the pad, swing slightly as it struggled upward.

Clark could already feel his stomach begin to heave back and forth. "I'm never going to be able to get the hang of this." He said it fairly loud so that Lex could hear him.

"After a hundred of these, they become just a walk in the park."

Clark tried to force a smile, but his eyes were becoming blurry as he looked down to the quickly disappearing ground. It would have been easier if it was completely dark out, but it was only October and the sun was just beginning to set. He felt the helicopter move quickly to the right, his dinner pushing its own way up his esophagus. "I don't feel well." He said, getting dizzier by the second.

Lex groaned. "Not again Clark. I had to have this thing cleaned from top to bottom the last time we flew." He reached under the seat and grabbed a pail. "Good thing I'm prepared this time." He handed it to Clark, grinning.

Clark grabbed the pail as quickly as he could. He had it in front of him just in time as his vomit started projecting itself forward. He emptied the contents of his stomach into the pail, his nose and throat burning from the lack of air. Taking a gasp, he sucked in a lungful and sat back. "Good grief. I just threw up and now I'm hungry again." He tried to force a smile, but failed. He had never vomited before in his life, but ever since riding in Lex's chopper, it was becoming more of an occurrence

"You can get some food at the stadium, we should be there shortly." Lex shifted his weight a little as the chopper moved a little to the left. "I hope you like buffet."

"Buffet?" Clark asked.

"Yes, I have a large private box with a buffet and a bar. It's quite nice." Lex was grinning again.

"I didn't even know they had private boxes in a college stadium." His stomach was settled down, but he knew if he had anything in it, it wouldn't have felt that way.

"They don't, but when I donated a significant amount of money for the stadium upgrades last year, I asked them to put one in. I prefer to see the whole field when I'm watching. I get annoyed when someone large, such as you, sits in front of me and I can't see." Lex pulled back his sleeve to check the time. "We should make just in time for kick off."

Clark chuckled a little. Lex always had a way of getting what he wanted. "I would assume that you also has a helicopter pad installed too?"

"Of course." He looked over at Clark with sly smile.

He shook his head in amazement, how in the world was he ever going to pay Lex back. The man had thought of everything. "Oh, what about the box, is there glass to cut out the noise. I prefer to here the sounds of the game."

"Me too. There is a retractable glass window, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Good." Clark said, satisfied. They passed over Evan's field, seeing the skyline lights of Metropolis set against the disappearing sun. The view was almost breathtaking.

-

Lois took off her coat as she lit the small wood stove. She didn't often come up in the loft when Clark wasn't there. It felt somewhat empty without him. Moving to set her coat on the couch, she looked out to the setting sun. The temperature was dropping rapidly as it disappeared. The heat that the stove gave off was relaxing, and it was warm enough she could keep her coat off. She strode over to the hay doors that were open. She took in the sight of the sunset, her eyes scanning the orange glow for a helicopter.

She sighed heavily, wishing a certain farm boy had his arms around her. The feeling she got when he touched her was unlike anything else she had ever experienced. Sure, she had been with a number of men before, but Clark was special, he genuinely cared. She laughed a little under breath. What more would she expect from Clark, his parents were the best. She only wished she had his type of childhood. Her father loved her, she knew that, but he was never there when she needed him. He was always off dragging her around the world. She was always alone, but now, she felt truly loved. The time she was spending at the Kent's was the happiest in her life.

The sun had completely disappeared below the skyline, the wind dying down for the night. She turned around to notice the wood stove was radiating waves of heat. Finding a few more pieces of wood, she put them in the stove and closed the small door. She was bored. It was only six and the girls night out didn't start until later. Plunging herself on the chair at Clarks desk, she let her head back to stair at the barn ceiling. "Clark?" She asked. She could smell his cologne. Turning around, she found nothing but air. Losing her smile, she found his shirt hanging off the back of the chair. She picked up the multicolored plaid shirt and took a deep sniff.

The smell of his shirt drove her crazy. At that moment she couldn't think of anything else but Clark. Her mind began to wander off into a dream as she held the shirt close to her face, rubbing her cheek against it. She snapped back to reality as she heard a pop come from the wood stove. Standing up, she removed the shirt from her face and put her arms out to look at it more closely. It was red with black, blue, and green stripes. The beige made the plaid effect, but the red really brought out the other colors. Without really thinking about it, she put it on. It was much too large for her. The bottom of the shirt almost touched her knees while her fingers poked out of the holes by the cuffs. If Clark couldn't be with her at that moment, she had the next best thing.

Grabbing the collar of the shirt, she squeezed it tighter to herself. Just the smell of him was driving her up the wall. She collapsed into the couch, lying on her back. She could feel her toes peek out from her sandals and tickle the couch arm. She was just tall enough she could feel her hair touching the other couch arm. Peeking over to see if the stove was still glowing red, she tucked her arms inside his shirt and put them to her chest. She shivered a little, the temperature was dropping a little too much for her taste, but she just clung on tighter to the inside of the shirt.

"Clark?"

Lois recognized Martha's voice, her footsteps sounding loudly as she ascended the stairs. She thought about removing his shirt, but she was too comfortable to get up. She heard Martha take the last step before she said anything. "Clarks not here." She said, her eyes still closed, hugging Clark's shirt even more tightly to herself. She let go of the shirt and sat up, reluctantly.

Martha noticed Lois sit up on the couch. "Lois." She said, surprised. "I saw the lights on and thought that Clark might have come back for something."

"Sorry to disappoint you." She smiled at Martha.

"No, no, no Lois. I could never be disappointed. You're the daughter I never had Lois. I love you just as much as I do Clark."

Lois smiled even wider. "Thank you Mrs. Kent. I never thought that I'd ever have motherly figure in my life again. Don't get me wrong. I miss my mother everyday, but ever since I've been living here, I haven't thought about her as much." She felt a little ashamed about it.

Martha saw the look of pain on Lois's face. "I wish I could have met your mother Lois. She sounds like she would be the kind of woman I would have liked."

"You would have been good friends." Her voice and lips picked up a little as she spoke about her mother. "The two of you are so much alike. You both loved a man and gave up so much to be with him. My mother never wanted to travel so much, but she loved my father so much she would have lived in the arctic with him if she had to." The words that came from her mouth made her remember all the good times.

Sitting down beside Lois, Martha grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "It's one thing to plan your life out when you're young, but when you meet that man that makes your heart skip a beat every time you look at him, those plans have a wrench thrown into them."

Lois looked over at her adopted mother. Well, not officially, but they were her closest family. Her father was always away and her sister could never be found. "Do you ever regret leaving Metropolis?"

Martha looked around the loft and smiled. "Honestly, I did for little while, for a few months after we were married. I felt as though I had lost what I had always dreamed of. A great career, making a difference in the world, but I realized that no matter what I thought I wanted, it wasn't what I needed."

Lois was listening to her every word. "What was it that you needed?"

"I needed to be loved." Her eyes began to glow with happiness as she spoke. "I knew my parents would always love me, but I needed the love that only another man could provide." She paused as she looked at Lois. The young woman was hanging on every word she was saying. She smiled and continued. "I spent my teenage years dreaming of my perfect life, marrying a beautiful and rich man, taking over my fathers practice. Little did I know that love was not about material things, but something that exists only in your heart." She looked down to see that Lois was wearing one of Clark's shirts.

Lois shrugged as she saw Martha look at her shirt and back at her. "It was cold up here." She said it with all seriousness. Whether or not Martha believed her was another story, she wasn't a stupid woman. "So you'd do it all over again?" She asked, changing the subject. She smiled herself as Martha patted her hand.

"In a heartbeat Lois." She looked deep into the eyes of the young woman. "There is no feeling in the world than that of being truly in love. It's scary, and yes there are sacrifices that have to be made. All those negative things mean absolutely nothing when it comes down to it though. The love of that other person would make you do anything. It's something that is often searched for, but rarely found. Why do you think so many marriages don't work anymore? People force themselves to think their in love, but the truth is that they are just desperate to not be alone."

Lois looked at Martha with profound respect. She was probably the most intelligent woman she had ever met. "I had no idea you were so philosophical." She said with a grin.

Martha laughed a bit, her nose wrinkling with each sound of her voice. "I may only be a farmer's wife, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. I had a great education and I learned more about life living here than I ever would by living in the city." She saw a strange look pass over Lois's face. "If I never came to live here, I would not have the love of so many people. Jonathon, Clark, and you are my career, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lois let her tears fall. She wasn't one to get all emotional, but no one had ever spoken to her like this. It was just too much to keep in. "I've always appreciated how you have all accepted me. I've spent my whole life running around and looking for someone who would love me." She fought back the tears so she could continue. "I know I had my dad and my sister, but I've missed that true love that only a mother could give. Ever since she died, I've been searching for it. I spent so much time running from man to man to find it."

Martha gathered her in her arms as she let a few tears fall as well. "It's okay Lois." She said in a motherly tone. She knew Lois had had a hard life.

Lois pulled herself away, wiping her tears from her eyes. "I've finally found what I was looking for, love." She chuckled and smiled. "I would have never thought that I'd find it in the middle of nowhere. The love of a family is something that I had almost given up on." She hugged Martha again; her emotions were getting the best of her.

Hugging Lois tightly, she patted and rubbed her back. "I know you've had a hard life Lois, and I know that you put up a barrier between yourself and others so that they can't hurt you. All I can tell you is that no matter what you do, we will always love you. A mother and father's love is always unconditional."

Lois clung to her, the tears continuing to fall. "I just wish my real father felt that way." She sobbed heavily on Martha's shoulder.

Martha could hear the pain in Lois's voice. "I know he does Lois. You may think he doesn't, but he does."

"Then why can't he tell me that?" She asked, rocking back and forth in Martha's arms. "He's never told me that he loves me." She always acted like emotions were for the weak, but she was still a little girl at heart. She needed to be reassured that she was never alone.

"I think that when your mother passed away, your father did the same thing you did. He put up his own wall to protect himself. He put that wall up for you and your sister too. He did what he felt he had to protect you. That's why he raised you like soldiers, because he didn't know what else to do." Martha felt her tears coming again. "I can't even begin to imagine the pain of losing the one you loved more than life itself." She let her tears flow as Lois continued to clutch onto her. "The hardest thing in the world has to be growing up without a mother. Without someone who you can share everything with and knowing that she'll always be there to support you, to understand you."

Lois pulled out of Martha's arms. She wiped her tears away again, noticing that Clark's mom, her mom, was doing the same. "Is that why Clark acts the way he does?" She wanted to know more about him. Everything about him was a mystery to her, and now that they were starting something, she wanted to get know who the real Clark Kent was.

Martha was surprised with Lois's question. They had certainly grown close over the past few months, but she never once had asked Jonathon or herself about Clark. "It's part of the reason." She began, trying to find the right words. "He's afraid that letting people get to know him is only a means to hurting them."

"How could he hurt anyone?" She asked. Clark was always the most polite and thoughtful person she had ever met. He was the closet thing to perfection.

Martha chose her words carefully. "Clark has secrets like everyone else. Problem is that those secrets are more important to keep to him than they are to let others in on them." She smiled in defense as Lois looked at her with a confused stare. "Jonathon and I don't even know all those secrets, yet we support him and love him no matter what."

Lois cleared her throat of the dryness that was building. "Doesn't he know that holding them in will mean that he will always be alone?" She didn't want to pry too much, Clark was a mystery, but he was also her friend. She just wanted to help.

"I know." Martha replied, getting up off the couch and heading for the stairs.

Lois watched as Martha began to leave. "Does he know that?" She asked as Martha was about to walk down the stairs.

"He does." Martha looked over at her with a sad look.

Martha took one step down the stairs. Lois was going to let her go, but she had just one more question. "Why doesn't he do something about it?"

Martha stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Lois, tears in her eyes. "Because, he has already accepted that he will be alone forever." She let her words hang in the air as she walked down the rest of the steps.

Lois turned herself around and laid back onto the couch, Martha's words still echoing in her ears. "Clark…" She whispered into the night air, tears welling in her eyes again.


	17. Chapter 17

Ch. 17

Clark could almost kiss the ground as he stepped out of the chopper. His knees were a little weak from the lack of oxygen in his brain. His face was pale and his hands were trembling, but only a little, as he bent over.

Lex put his hand on his friends back for reassurance. "You okay Clark? He asked, genuinely worried.

"I'm fine" Clark stated, standing up straight. "I'm still not to keen on the helicopter."

"We can always take the limo back to Smallville." Lex removed his hand and gave him a nudge forward with his elbow. "Let's hurry, the game should be starting."

Clark let himself be pushed forward, taking an awkward step. "Well, then let's not miss it." He shot back, following after Lex. They went through the outside doors and into the stadium walkway. There weren't many people in the concession area as he could hear the fans cheering for the kickoff. "We missed the kickoff." He said, flatly.

"Bo-hoo." Lex teased. He heard the crowd go wild. "They must have scored on the return." He said, looking over to Clark.

Clark listened to the crowd a little more. He used his hearing to pick out faint voices from field level. Tearing his attention away from the game and the crowd, he looked back over to Lex. "No touchdown. They just returned the ball for a good yardage."

Lex chuckled. "How do you know that?" He asked

"I know because I can't let you be right all the time." He smiled at the billionaire.

Lex laughed loudly as they came up to the private box. There were two bodyguards standing outside the doors, their suits a dark black as they stood rigidly still. "The room is set up as you wished sir." The larger of the two had spoken, his voice deep and baritone.

Clark followed Lex through the doors as two men opened them. He almost swore as he saw the sheer magnificence of the private box. Everything was either made of marble or gold. Finally regaining his voice, he turned to see a grinning Lex. "I swear, I'd think we were in ancient Greece or something."

Lex shrugged and looked around the room. "It feels more comfortable like this. Plus, it looks nice."

"You can say that again" Clark responded, his words trailing off as he took in the brilliance that surrounded him. He tore his eyes off of the room as he heard the crowd cheer in excitement as the glass that was before him began to disappear. Stepping over to the edge, he looked at the crowd and the stadium. There had to almost sixty thousand. He imagined himself down there, on the field, thousands of people cheering him on. He had gotten his chance to do exactly that, but he kept telling himself he made the correct choice.

"Miss it?" Lex said, walking over to Clark to look at the game.

Clarks head snapped around quickly, surprised with the question. He calmed himself down and looked back to the field. Met-U had the ball on the opposition's twenty yard line, it was second and third down. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't."

"Why did you ever give it up Clark? You were probably the best high school player in the state." Lex had hated seeing his friend give up what he thought that he had loved, but somehow he knew there were underlying issues with it.

Clark shrugged. "I realized that even though I could have had a future in football, it wasn't what I wanted to do." He paused to watch the game and consider his next words. "You only live young once Lex, and I didn't think wasting that youth on football was the right thing to do. Besides, I have other things in mind." He grinned over at Lex, to ease his worry, and his own.

"And what are those?" Lex asked, curious to know what Clark had planned for the future. "You dropped out of college. What is your plan now?"

Clark thought about hard. He had mapped out his life a couple of months ago, deciding on exactly what he had wanted to do. Now the problem was, that with his abilities, he wasn't sure if he would be able to do what he wanted. Once again things were being clouded by one event or another. The events of today had things cloudier than before. "I don't know Lex. I had thought I had it all planned out, but things are changing."

Lex put a hand on his friends shoulder. "I know what you mean Clark." He removed his hand to put it in his overcoat pocket. "I had always figured that no matter how much I tried, that I'd never find someone who truly understood me, but little did I know that there was."

"Andrea?" Clark asked

Lex nodded his head. "Yeah, she's the one person I've been searching for, the only person who doesn't ask questions about me." He stopped and looked down at the field more closely. Met-U was second and goal on the opposition's three yard line. "She's like you Clark. She doesn't ask questions, she genuinely cares for me, not the money." He slapped a grin across his face. "Only difference is she is exactly what you aren't."

Clark looked over confused. Lex was contradicting himself. "And what is it she is that I'm not?" He asked.

Lex gave him a frown and a grin. "She's a woman Clark." He laughed at his large friend as he saw the relief in his eyes. "What, did you think I was going to say? She's an alien?" He chuckled some more.

Clark laughed with Lex, allowing the mirth of the moment escape his mouth. He let the word alien pass over him without even a hint of emotion. Lex didn't know his secret, but one day he hoped he would be able to tell him.

The crowd roared loudly as their home team ran in for a touchdown, the running back diving over the defenders for the score. "On the opening drive!" Clark exclaimed, clapping with the rest of the crowd. If he couldn't be down there playing, he could at least still enjoy the game.

"Do you enjoy the college game over the professional, Clark?" Lex was curious to know more about his friend. Clark held so many things t himself, but he knew when Clark was in a good mood that he tended to open up a little.

"I think so." He replied, watching the kicker kick the ball through the uprights for the extra point. "The professional game has so much politics to it. It's all about money and personal glory. In college, you have to rely on your teammates to win. You have to do it in the pros too, but so many forget that when they sign their huge contracts."

"So what you're saying is that money can be corruptive to an individual." Lex was hinting at what Clark was getting at.

Clark nodded, watching Met-U kick off the ball. "Essentially yes, but it doesn't corrupt everyone." He turned and smiled at Lex to make sure he knew that he wasn't talking about him.

"So, have I been corrupted Clark?" He asked with a little chuckle.

Clark snorted out a laugh. "After the way you say you were brought up Lex, you're the last person I ever think could get corrupted." He laughed a little more as Lex joined him in his mirth. "I know that you and your dad have your issues, but one thing he did teach you is individuality. Without it, you certainly wouldn't be the man you are today." He cheered along with the crowd as Met-U held their opponents to a small gain on the return. "We're in the only private box in the stadium." He turned to look at Lex, a grin spread across his face. "Shouldn't you have the players run out onto the field to spell your name?"

Lex snickered as Clark's white teeth poked through his lips. "I'm not that rich Clark." He said, chuckling.

"Yeah right." Clark scoffed sarcastically.

"Well, maybe I am." He said with a sly smile. "I don't have to show it off though."

Clark laughed again. "So, showing up in a chopper and driving around in expensive cars is just for fun and not to show off?"

"Well, to be truthfully honest, yes. I don't mind being noticed though, it's flattering." Lex smiled to himself. He was lying; he loved the attention he received.

"You know Lex, in a few years, if you ever decide to stay married; you might have to trade in the Porsche's and by a mini-van." He was pulling Lex's leg figuratively, but it was having the desired effect on him.

"Could you see me driving a van?" He asked. He certainly couldn't see himself ever doing such a thing.

"Honestly?" Clark said. "No, but it would defiantly be a strange and interesting sight." He laughed with his friend some more. His friend, he said to himself again. Lex was truly his friend. He got a little more serious as boo's began to rain down as Wichita State made a huge completion on a wide out. "Do you even see yourself having kids Lex?" He didn't want to ask him, but the moment felt right.

Lex pondered his inquiry for a second. Clark was his friend, he could tell him the truth, even if he kept his secrets from him. "I don't know Clark. Sometimes I want to, but in the back of my mind my conscious tells me that I would be a horrible father, jut like my dad."

Clark could hear the pain in Lex's voice. "Lex, if anything, you would be exactly the opposite parent your father was. You don't grow up like you did without learning how raising a child should be like." He tried to reassure his friend, but he could see that it wasn't working.

"I think that to myself as well Clark, but I have done so many things in my life that I regret, that I don't know if I could raise a child without corrupting him like my father did to me." He spoke softly, his words struggling to get out. He and Clark were much alike in the respect that they didn't share emotions or feeling with others.

"I don't want to be hurtful Lex, but I can't lie to you." He turned his whole body from the window to stand right up to Lex. He stared down a little to read his friends confused face, completely ignoring the game. "I think that when your mother died, your father went over the edge. He didn't know what to do so he treated you like an employee. That's not a relationship any son wants. "

Lex leaned against the railing, staring out into the stadium. "It doesn't help that he also thought I killed my own brother." His voice was beginning to crack, but he held strong.

Clark chose his words delicately; he knew Lex was fragile when it came to Julian. "I don't know if he'll ever forgive himself for thinking that Lex." He wanted to make Lex feel better, so he thought of the only two happy people he could think of, his parents. "What you need to do is find a woman that loves you just as much as you love her. My parents say that love can heal all wounds."

Lex sighed heavily. "I've thought myself in love so many times. I've been married numerous times and every time there was a conspiracy to get my money. It's hard to let another in after you've been hurt so many times." He had never talked to Clark like that before. He was so used to keeping everything bottled up like Clark did, but he could feel them growing closer as he let the words fall from his lips. "Drea has even told me she love's me. We've only been together for a couple of weeks but, I feel the same." He slapped the railing hard with his right hand in frustration. "I love her Clark, but I don't trust her. How can I ever trust someone again?"

Clark watched Lex open up, all his anger and mistrust coming to a head. Leaning on the railing beside him, He knocked a few knuckles on the railing, trying to find the right words to tell Lex. "You can trust her Lex." He said finally, not knowing what else to say.

Lex turned to him with anger glowing in his eyes. "How in the world do you know that?" He almost screamed at his friend, instantly regretting his words.

"Lex, she is my friend. Do you think I would have any friends that I didn't trust?" He was lying; he didn't trust Lex, well, not yet anyways. Andrea on the other hand was someone he knew would never mislead Lex.

Lex thought about it for a second. Clark was probably the biggest keeper of secrets in the world, and he knew that whatever his friend was hiding, that only his parents knew. The young man might have been secretive in nature, but he had never let on that he wasn't trustworthy. He knew that if Clark told him that Drea was to be trusted, he should believe him.

Clark could see Lex's face cloud over a little. He tried to reassure him. "She's had a very hard life, she's afraid of letting herself get hurt. She's much like you, and everyone else in this stadium Lex." He stopped for a second to look at the field again. Wichita State was on the Met-U twenty yard line, setting up for a field goal. "You are all afraid to be alone."

Lex looked over at Clark with newfound admiration. The large man wasn't just a farmer, but someone who could be deeply profound when he needed to be. "So, aren't you afraid of being alone?"

Clark stared out blankly at the field. "I was Lex."

"What do you mean you were, you're not anymore?" He asked, prying for more.

"I mean that there was a time when that was all that I could think about, being alone. After what happened with Lana and me, it only made me realize what I should have figured out years ago."

"And what is that Clark?"

Clark stayed deathly still, his hands gripping the edge railing tightly. "That I'm destined to be alone."

Lex could hear the absolute pain and anguish that was coming out of Clark's mouth. "You are the last person I'd think who'd give into any type of destiny Clark. That's what makes us such good friends; we both believe that the future can be affected by our actions in the present, not by any type of destiny. Seeing you give up like this worries me. You are only hurting yourself."

Clark snorted a little. "That's the thing, if I accept that my life is not how I want it to be, I can keep the hurt to myself, protecting others from it."

"What about Lois?" He asked, looking directly at Clark who turned to him with a shocked look.

Clark sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "I knew I could put the whole thing over everyone else's head but yours."

"Just remember Clark, I've had a lot more experience about this sort of thing that you. I'm a very perceptive person." He looked at his friend more closely. "It wasn't just sex was it?"

"No." Clark replied, sighing. He didn't know how much to tell Lex, but he also knew that the man would keep it a secret if he asked him to. "A lot of this happened this morning, and we just sort of blurted out our feelings in a rush." He watched the ball split the uprights as he continued. "It was the most exhilarating few moments of my life, and to tell you the truth, it was something that I've never experienced before."

Lex's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean that you and Lana never…?"

"We did." Clark assured him. "But it didn't feel at all like it did with Lois. There was something in her eyes that made me feel wanted, needed." He sighed, fighting for the right words. "With Lana it felt forced, as if it was something I had to do to preserve our relationship."

"Are you and Lois starting something then?"

"We are, but she wants to keep it a secret, for now."

"Why in the world would she want to do that?" Lex was beyond being just puzzled. That Lane woman was almost as big of a mystery as Clark.

Clark shrugged his shoulders as he continued to stare at the field. "She has her reasons I guess."

"Why are you letting her keep it secret? I would have thought you'd be happy to share it with others."

"Truth to tell, it would be nice to have it out in the open, but she asked and I promised." The game noise was drowning out his voice. He stopped until the noise died down a little before he continued. "I think that I have my own reasons for agreeing though. Maybe I'm afraid to hurt Lana and Chloe, I don't really know."

"Or is it Clark, that you're afraid to hurt Lois?"

Clark looked over at Lex. His friend was always a good judge of the moment, and he could tell what he was really getting at. "That's probably it." It was exactly it, but he wasn't going to say that. It would only lead to more questions.

"Then what are you two doing together then? If you don't want to hurt her, you should have never decided to start something in the first place." Lex was using a tone that only a big brother would.

"I know Lex. I lost myself in the moment, but once I began to think about it, if it ever blossomed into something more, I couldn't hurt her like I did Lana." He sat down into one of the leather chairs that were beside him, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"What are you going to do then?"

Clark opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. "I'm going to have to tell her that we can't be together."

"You're going to hurt her."

"I know Lex, but I can't imagine leading her on then possibly breaking her heart. I just can't let myself do that again." Clark closed his eyes tighter, fighting back the tears he thought might come.

"When are you going to do it then?" Lex didn't like the way Clark was acting. Whatever his friend was afraid of, he just wished it would go away.

"I don't know if I can, but it will be sooner rather than later." He was tired of all the conversation about Lois, so he changed the subject. "Where's that buffet?" He asked, looking behind him and getting off the chair.

Lex was about to respond, but Clark had already found it himself, picking up a plate.

Clark filled up his plate to the fullest. He couldn't even begin to name what was on his plate; it was all jumbled together in a heap of gravy and meat. Finding a table so that he could still watch the game, he began to scarf down the mounds of food that occupied his stare. All the talk of Lois and Lex's problem had him starving. Taking another mouthful, he heard a knock at the door.

He turned his attention to Lex, who was filling a mug full of beer from the tap behind the counter. "Expecting anyone?" He asked.

Lex frowned and shook his head. "Can't say that I am, must be one of the guards. Come in" He yelled to the person behind the door.

The larger of the two guards popped his head in and looked at Lex. "Sir, there is television producer here."

Lex frowned even deeper. "Did they say what they wanted?"

The guard shook his head. "She said she only wishes to speak to Mr. Kent here, sir."

Clark tore his attention form his food again, his mouth full of roast beef. Swallowing it, he got up off his feet and headed towards the door. Lex was heading for the door with him. Who would want to talk to him, and most of all, who the hell knew he was even here.

"Let her in." Lex said, curious to know why a television producer was interested in Clark.

The door opened and a petite woman with brown hair and black square glasses entered. She was plainly dressed in jeans and a Met-U sweater. The headset she was wearing was an obvious indication that she was with the media. "Mr. Kent." She said, turning to Clark. "We heard you were in the building."

Clark looked at her, frowning. He glanced at Lex and back to her. "Okay, but why are you here?" His mind was running for answers before she gave them.

"We'd like to have you as a booth guest during the second quarter."

Clark's eyebrows shot up. Go on TV? He wasn't sure. His parents would be watching. Lois might be watching. "Why?" He finally got out.

"People are interested to know why the best young quarterback in Kansas decided to give up football." She flashed a grin at him, trying to get him to accept.

"I don't know." He was too nervous to even answer the question. How in the world could he ever keep cool in the broadcast booth with Brian Dilliac and Fred Immelman. They were both legends. He was about to say no when Lex chimed in.

"He'd be delighted to." He smiled over at Clark.

"Great, someone will be by to get you at the start of the second quarter." She smiled at both him and Lex, then disappeared out the door, leaving a shocked Clark Kent staring at the doorknob.

"What did you say that for Lex?" He asked in a scared voice. "I'm never going to be able to talk to those two guys."

Lex grinned at him. "Don't worry Clark, all you have to do is talk a little bit about yourself, and talk some football. Do you think you can handle that?" Lex was enjoying himself.

Clark rubbed his hand through his hair, there was no way he was going to be able to stay calm. His hand shook as he went back over to the table. All of sudden he wasn't hungry anymore. "God Lex." He seethed; he was going to make a fool of himself on TV. Not just regional TV, but National TV. Millions would be watching. He dropped his head in his hands, counting down the minutes left in he first quarter.

-

Lois lay on the couch for what seemed like hours, but in reality it was only a few minutes. Martha's words were eating away at her stomach. She couldn't get them out of her mind. She felt so sad to think that Clark thought that being alone was the only way to keep the ones he loved safe. She cursed him a little, just for the heck of it. She was determined not to let him feel alone. It might have been his destiny to be alone, but she was going to make sure that she would change that. Clark was more complicated than anyone she had ever met, yet he seemed like a simple farmer. Smiling to herself, she sat up and removed his shirt.

Shelby came up and licked her fingers. "Stupid mutt!" She muttered, rubbing behind his ears. "Do you know why Clark feels so alone?" She asked aimlessly. She smiled when he gave no answer. There was reason why Clark loved the dog, he could tell the mutt anything and it wouldn't judge him. She just wished that he knew that she would to the same thing. She would never judge him, never second guess his intentions.

Shelby barked at her. Lois looked at the dog as it wagged its tail and went down the steps. It was if the dog was telling her to follow. Lois grabbed her coat and hurried down the stairs after Shelby. Hightailing it across the barn, she stepped out into the dark night. The moon was just beginning to show, its full brilliance not yet illuminating the night sky. She spotted Shelby heading towards the house. Why would the dog need her to go to the house? It was getting later, and she would have to leave soon, but she was very comfortable up in the loft, surrounded by Clark's things.

She followed Shelby up to the door and stepped through. The hinges creaked loudly as she removed her coat. She jumped a little when the door slammed shut harder than she thought it would. She removed her sandals and moved closer to the fire place and the TV. Mr. and Mrs. Kent were both sitting watching the college football game. She groaned, football wasn't really her sport, but she still had time to kill before she left.

"Lois." Martha said. "I thought I heard you come in." She smiled as she watched Lois sit in the chair beside the couch where she and Jonathon were sitting.

"Who's winning?" Lois asked. She didn't really care, but she was just trying to be nice.

"Met-U, seven to three." Jonathon didn't take his eyes off of the television set as he answered her.

"_That completion bring us to the end of the first quarter. After the break will be back for all the second quarter action, plus, a special guest will be joining us midway through the quarter to give us some answers and what he thinks about the game so far. This is Friday Night College Football brought to you by Luthorcorp Fertilizer on TNSN, your home for college sports."_

Jonathon grunted. "I hate this part of the broadcast."

"Why's that?" Lois asked, bored out of her mind.

"They always have some lame duck actor plugging their newest movie. Sometimes they have an old football legend on and that's entertaining. I'm just a little tired of having to listen to a bum try and talk about football." His tone of voice wasn't really angry, just annoyed.

"_Welcome back viewers. Alongside Fred Immelman, I'm Brian Dilliac here at the Metropolis University Stadium, where the score is seven to three in favor of Met-U. Our second quarter guest Clark Kent will be along shortly…" _

"What did he say?" Lois almost fell out of her chair in surprise.


	18. Chapter 18

Ch. 18

Jonathon looked over at an odd acting Lois. He was just as surprised as she was, but he was puzzled by how much she seemed to care. "Well this ought to be interesting." He chuckled to himself.

Lois was so surprised she didn't realize she was gripping the arms of the chair so tightly that her fingernails were popping through the material. Relaxing her grasp, she sat back slowly. She didn't know how much Martha and Jonathon had saw, but hopefully they would just ignore her questions. Her wishes weren't granted.

"Lois honey?" Martha frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She said, straightening her tank top. "I'm just surprised he would do something like this, he's usually so secluded when it comes to the public." Grabbing her hair and pushing it back behind her head; she brought her left leg and put it underneath herself.

"We know that Lois, but he's been acting differently lately. Plus, I get the feeling it wasn't really his idea. I'm sure Lex had something to do with it." Jonathon was curious to see how his son was going to react in the booth, on National Television.

"_Time out Met-U. We'll take a quick commercial break and be back with former high school superstar quarterback Clark Kent." _

Lois sat there anxiously awaiting the commercials to be over. She wasn't too concerned about what he was going to say, she was just going to be happy to see him. The commercials ended and the play by play announcers welcomed everyone back. She smiled to herself as they showed Clark standing between the two men in suits. He was taller than the play by play man, but the color analyst was a former offensive lineman and had almost five inches on Clark.

"_Welcome back. Met-U has the ball on the eighteen yard line in their own end. Now, as promised, our second quarter guest Clark Kent. _

Lois watched as Clark shook both there hands, his muscles tensing slightly with each firm handshake. She had never realized how good he actually looked in a simple t-shirt. His arms were almost as big as the color man's and he seemed to exhume confidence. She knew he was nervous as hell though, his eyes did not lie.

"_Clark, first and foremost we would like to ask you what everyone in the college world has been wondering. You led Smallville High to a state championship, and were set to star here at Met-U, but you pulled out of their offer, why?"_

She could tell Clark was reaching for an answer. It was a question that she and everyone else wanted to know. Chloe never second questioned his decision though. She caught Martha and Jonathon looking at each other with worry plainly etched on their faces.

"_Well, there isn't too much about it. I spent one year playing a sport which I enjoyed, but I soon realized that I didn't love it." _

Lois could tell that he was lying, he loved the game of football and he knew it. She watched Clark stuff his hands into his pockets as the broadcast went back to the field camera.

They watched as the broadcasters continued to ask Clark questions on a variety of subjects, including football. Lois was impressed with the way he answered them. He was calm, collective, and most surprisingly, charming. His words came out so fluidly she almost lost herself in them.

Jonathon sat there, listening to his son speak. The way he broke down the game with the broadcaster's was truly amazing. He knew his son loved the game of football, but he didn't know that he understood so much. Smiling to himself, he looked over to his wife, whose grin was just as large as his. "He seems very relaxed doesn't he?"

Martha grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "He does." She was still smiling from ear to ear.

Lois frowned at the two of them. She was really struggling to understand all of it. His parents knew how happy football made him, yet they didn't even second guess his decision when he chose to give it up. In some respects she wished she had had parents like that, but she was conflicted with the notion that they would support something that obviously made him unhappy.

"Why did he really give it up?" She asked, ripping their attention away from the television. She could see them fumbling for an answer as she glared at them.

"We don't really know Lois." Martha lied of course; when it came to Clark there was never any truth involved.

Lois gave them a squint of the eyes, her mind angry knowing they weren't telling her the truth. At that moment she wanted to demand it from them, declaring that she and Clark were in a relationship and she deserved to know the truth, but she held that anger in check.

Martha could see Lois was angry, but she chose not to pursue any question as to why. "If you want a better answer Lois, you're going to have to ask Clark, but don't expect an answer." She was trying to block the question. She didn't like deflecting it onto Clark, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

Lois sighed. She stared back to the TV. The commentators were shaking hands with Clark again as they bid him goodbye.

"_Is there anyone you'd like to say hello to before we let you go?" _ The play by play man asked.

"_Yes" _Clark stated. _"I know my parents are watching, so I'd like to say hello to them. To my friends back home in Smallville, if you're watching, hello to you as well, and to Lois, I'm sorry."_

Lois almost dropped off the chair again as Clark said her name. Frowning a little at what he said, she turned to Martha and Jonathon. "What in the world does he have to be sorry for?" She was confused and bouncing around at the same time. He had said her name specifically on TV, but it became before a sorry, which had her worried.

"We have no idea." They both said, almost in unison.

Lois looked back to the TV and listened to Clark leave. Her worry was beginning to nag on her as she got up and went upstairs.

-

Clark took almost collapsed as he stepped out of the broadcast box. He had been so nervous he almost vomited, again. What in the world was happening to him? He couldn't even control his stomach anymore. Taking a deep breath, he replayed everything they had talked about. Luckily he didn't say anything to stupid. He paused for a second. There was something he said that he now regretted. Sliding his hand down his face in pain, he wished that Lois hadn't been watching. He couldn't remember why he had said what he did, but he didn't want her to worry.

He made his way back to Lex's private box, quietly. Things went a little too well during the interview, he wasn't sure why, but somehow it had made him relax. Mentally shrugging it off, he stepped back into the private box to see a smiling Lex Luthor. "What?" He asked, almost annoyed with Lex's ever present grin.

"I didn't know you had it in you."

"Had what?"

"The ability to know more about football than two national broadcasters, you really surprised me Clark." He was still grinning.

"Why? I didn't say anything no one else would." Clark was frowning.

"Do you even remember what you guys were talking about?"

"Well, I can't remember anything in particular. I was just praying that I wouldn't mess up." Clark took a seat on the large leather chair overlooking the field. The half time whistles blew.

"Not only did you not mess up, you managed to blend in as a third commentator. After listening to you for the whole quarter I could have sworn you had been doing it your whole life."

Clark smiled at his compliment. "I was just being honest about what I knew. I can't pretend to be someone I'm not." Those words sounded really bad coming out of his mouth, but it was true, for the moment anyway.

Lex sat down beside him in the other chair as the players began disappearing into their respective locker rooms. "You spoke with such clarity and knowledge; I might have to make you my publicist."

Clark laughed. He couldn't really remember the whole interview, but he could faintly remember analyzing the football game more than answering personal questions. "I enjoyed myself, I guess."

"Good." Lex said. "I just hoped you would have kept that last comment to yourself."

Clark groaned. "I knew I should have shut up, but for some reason I couldn't help myself."

"You better hope she wasn't watching. She's going to worry about what you meant. I swear Clark, sometimes you're smarter than anyone I know, and then you go and say something like that. It just re-affirms my suspicions of why you dropped out of college.

"And your thoughts on that are?" Clark was interested to know what Lex thought.

Lex shrugged a little, as if he didn't have a whole lot of opinion on the matter. "I think you spent a year of your life thinking you'd play football. Then, you decide that it's not what you wanted and decided to take up journalism." Lex drummed his fingers on the arm chair for a second before he continued. "Now you've realized that journalism might not be for you. So what are you doing? You're staying at home to work on the farm until you can figure out what to do."

Clark couldn't argue with him. He was right on the money. "Can you blame me? I don't want to waste my parent's money by attending college and not knowing what I really wanted to study."

"I guess not, but you could always come and work for me Clark." His sly smile was the only indication he was kidding.

"Thanks for the offer." Clark replied, rolling his eyes. "I think I'll continue to help out around the farm for now."

Lex chuckled. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you did it only to be with Lois."

"Let's not speak of Lois." He said, his heart sinking a little in his stomach.

-

Lois shifted her weight in the car seat. The night was too cold to leave the top down so she had no choice but to put it up. She wished it was warmer out, the moon was almost full and the stars were shining brightly. Never before had she ever paid much attention to the sky, but Clark had changed her. Little did he know that half the time he wasn't looking, she was watching the night sky in his loft. Smiling to herself, she came to the outskirts of the town, the car's headlights being drowned out by the streetlamps.

Eyeing the talon, she noticed that Chloe's car wasn't there. Checking the time on the radio, she smiled. She was early. It didn't matter though; she could help Christine close up. Parking along the street, she didn't bother putting a coin in the meter as it was past eight. Closing the door of her car, and locking it, she strode into the talon with wobbly legs. Clark's earlier apology on TV was still nagging on her mind.

The talon was almost empty, save for a few customers paying at the counter. She began to stack chairs up on the table as she waved to Christine behind the counter. The younger girl waved back and smiled at her in thanks. Before she had met Clark, she would have never thought about helping someone without being asked.

"Lois?"

"That's my name." She replied, not knowing where the voice was coming from. She put another chair on top of a table and turned around. "Oh, hello Abby." It wasn't really the person she wanted to see at the moment.

"Hi." She replied in a cheery tone. "I was just wondering, you know Clark fairly well, right?" Her lips parted in a smile as she mentioned Clark's name.

Lois didn't want to talk to her about Clark. Things had been strange all day and she just wanted the night to be normal, but now Abby had invaded those plans. "As much as anyone can know someone, I guess." Her voice was low and almost menacing, but she just turned around and picked up another chair.

Abby frowned a little. She knew Lois wasn't too fond of her, especially after what her mother almost did to her, but it seemed to her that Lois was going out of her way to be mean. She shrugged it off. "I was wondering what his favorite color was. I need to know what kind of dress to wear."

Lois almost turned around to scream at her. She wanted so badly to tell her to stay the hell away from her man, but she held herself in check. "I would suggest something red or blue."

"Thank you." Abby replied, walking through the front door and disappearing into the street.

Lois's eyes burned holes into the young woman's back as she left. Again she was regretting trying to keep things secret. Abby was beautiful, much more beautiful than her. She was now worried Clark wouldn't be able to control himself.

Christine walked up to her. "Mrs. Kent called earlier and said you were going to have a bunch of friends over so I'll just leave you to lock up."

Lois nodded to the high school sophomore. "Good night Christine." She said, watching the younger woman wave behind her head as she went out the door. Smiling only a little, she finished putting up the rest of the chairs and made her way to the coffee pot. She was completely exhausted and she had no idea how she would ever get through the night without numerous cups of black coffee. Pouring herself a cup, she turned around to see who had just come in the door. She smiled as Chloe, Lana, and Andrea came through with numerous amounts of alcohol in their hands.

"We're going to a have a good time tonight Lois, maybe we'll even get you drunk before we pass out." Chloe was grinning form ear to ear as she set down three large bottles of rum.

"Looks more like you want to die than just get drunk." She chuckled as Andrea plopped down enough tequila to get her plastered thoroughly. Lana was next. She didn't have any liquor, just a case of beer, but she was struggling with the weight of it. Lois helped her get it up onto the counter.

"There's more in the car." Lana said, smiling. She had never had a drunken sleepover before. If that's what it really was, she couldn't be sure.

Lois remembered she had left some things in her car as well. "Give me your keys cuz, I'll grab the rest in your car while I get some things of my own."

Chloe tossed her keys at Lois and watched her disappear. "I swear, I don't think any of us are going to get home tonight. Lois will make sure of it." She grinned wildly again, turning her attention to Andrea. "I think it'll be interesting to see if you can out drink my cousin. She's got quite the tolerance level."

Andrea put her hand on her hips. She was wearing all black, which she had being doing much of lately. Her high heels felt uncomfortable for the moment, but she ignored it. The tight leather pants weren't really her style, but they went well with her tight black shirt. "Why would you say that?"

Chloe shrugged. "You know why." Her sly smile was unnerving.

Lana looked at both of them. They were leaving her out of the loop again. "Is there something I should know about?" She asked, agitated.

"No." Andrea said, looking over to her and glaring back to Chloe.

Lois opened up Chloe's trunk to notice that she not only had more beer, but a serious arsenal of hard liquor. Their livers were defiantly going to take a hit tonight. Grabbing a couple bottles of schnapps, she closed the trunk and unlocked her own car. She reached inside to grab her bag, her hand fumbling for the strap. Finally getting a grasp on it, she slipped the two bottles in the bag. She smiled as she saw one of Clark's flannel shirts in it. Plucking it out of the bag, she took a deep sniff, admiring the scent of it. It smelt so much like him. She tossed it back in, knowing that she would be able to sleep better with it just being near.

Locking the doors again, she headed back into the talon. Locking the door behind her, she headed back to the counter where Chloe was already pouring tequila into oversized shot glasses. "I'm going to have to call the hospital and tell them to reserve four liver transplants for tomorrow." Her grin was a wide as her cheeks would go.

Lana laughed along with the others. "Sometimes we all just need to let go and indulge ourselves in the sin of booze."

They all laughed again as they each grabbed a glass and slammed back a large shot. Each one of them let out a large breath.

Lois slammed the glass back onto the counter. "So, where should we start, movies and popcorn?"

"And Alcohol!" Chloe almost shouted. Her face was flushing from the sudden rush of tequila to her body. "Come one Lana, you're the only one who knows how to run the projector. Go set something up."

Lana smiled at her best friend and ran up the stairs to the film projector room.

"What are we going to watch? Andrea asked, grabbing the case of beer and heading towards the doors of the small theater.

"I have no idea. I'm sure Lana has something up there that we'll enjoy." Chloe grabbed a bunch of bottles and headed after Andrea. "Are you coming Lois?" She shouted.

"Hold on a minute!" She screamed back. Setting up the popcorn machine was harder than she remembered. Finally getting the thing to work, she walked over to the counter to grab her bag. Following them into the theater, she reached in a grabbed a bottle of peach schnapps. She let her bag drop to the floor as she took a seat with the others near the middle of the theater. Opening the bottle, she took a long swig and exhaled.

"Did you not take the glasses with you?" Andrea asked.

"Why?" Lois shot back. "It's easier to count bottles than glasses. This way I can pace myself." She smiled back at the dark haired woman. She was prettier than almost anyone she had ever seen. No wonder why Lex was infatuated with the woman.

Andrea snorted a laugh while Chloe opened a bottle of beer. Taking a bottle of tequila herself, she took a sip. Shaking her head at the bitter taste, she opened her watering eyes and saw the three-two countdown on the screen.

Lana came sauntering down the aisle towards them, her steps a little wobbly.

"You're not tipsy after just one shot are you?" Lois asked, a smirk on her face. "I didn't think you were that dainty Lana."

Lana shot her a cruel look. "I'm not that easy of a drunk." She stepped over Lois's leg to sit between Chloe and her cousin. "Where's the popcorn?" She asked, glaring over at Lois.

Lois gave her just a menacing growl and got up. Lana was not a push over when it came to verbal bickering. The woman could give just as well as she could receive. Grumbling to herself, she filled up two large buckets with buttery popcorn and re-entered the theater. "Oh no." She said. "Not Gone With the Wind. Come on Lana, wasn't there anything else up there." She sat down and handed over one bucket for Andrea and Chloe.

"Hey, if you don't want to watch it, you can go somewhere else." Lana didn't think it would have come out so heatedly, but Lois was pushing her buttons. "How in the world does Clark put up living with you?"

Lois turned her head away, but not in defeat. The mention of Clark's name had her smiling, and she couldn't let them see her.

Chloe was almost shocked at Lois's reaction. Her cousin would never allow herself to be bested or talked to like that, especially from Lana. "Lois, what in the world are you doing. You're not going to let her talk to you like that, are you?" The giddiness in her voice almost masked her halting speech. In a matter of mere minutes she had had three beers done.

Lois pretended to cough. Turning around, she pounded on her chest a little. "I just choked on some popcorn." She took a long swallow from the bottle, holding it to her lips for more than five seconds. Pulling it away, she gasped in pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her head. It was probably best she not do that again she said to herself.

"You okay?" Chloe asked, giggling a little.

"I'm fine." Lois replied, taking another swig. "Now Lana, Clark can put up with me because I don't constantly ask him questions. Plus, I don't where pink all the time." She glanced at Lana, who was wearing yet another pink sweater.

Lana seethed. Lois was really pushing her, but she held her cool. "I'm just surprised that you two didn't hook up earlier. I figured someone like yourself might not be able to hold your urges so long. I guess I was wrong." She smiled to herself, putting more popcorn in her mouth.

Chloe groaned. Lana had gone too far. Lois didn't take it too kindly when someone referred to her as a slut.

"What was that I just heard?" Lois almost yelled. "Are you calling me a slut?" Her eyes were wide and round as she stared directly at Lana. When Lana gave her no answer, she decided to give back exactly just what she had received. "I'd rather be a slut that a prissy little bitch who can't make up her mind and be happy. Always has to have answers for everything, can't accept someone for who they are. It has to be her way or the highway." Lois smiled to herself. She had hit a sore spot. Clark was the one thing that Lana had no way of defending herself, plus, the little princess started it.

Lana looked at a smiling Lois Lane, her anger almost driving her to hit the woman. "What do you know about Clark and me?" She screamed. "You weren't there for any of it. How can you possibly judge me?" She was spitting the words out as Lois continued to grin at her.

Lois was almost as hot under the collar as Lana was. She peeked over to Andrea and Chloe, giving them a wink. She felt so good defending Clark's honor, something that every girlfriend should do. Turning back to Lana, her sneer caused the little priss's eyebrows to shoot up. "Oh, oh, oh." Lois laughed loudly. "You think I don't know anything about your relationship with Clark." She laughed even louder again. The shocked expression on Lana's face made her happier by the minute. "Where have you been for the last two months?" She asked, calming down just a little.

"Well I-." Lana started, but faltered.

Lois picked up right where she stopped. "You've been off at school." Her voice was rising slightly as she laced into the poor girl. "You've been gone for over two months and expect him to still be in love with you when you return. Some stupid little high school girl you still are. I've never seen such little disregard for someone else's feelings." She paused for a second to see that her words were getting through. "I have been the only friend of his that is actually around. Do you not think he tells me things? Can you be naïve to think that we don't confide in each other? God, I swear you've got to be the dumbest person I've ever met. He has told me everything about your relationship, not because I was prying, but because he could trust that I wouldn't throw it back in his face."

Chloe was about to speak up, but Lois's glare shut her up. Her cousin wasn't finished yet.

"Yes, we bicker and act mean towards each other, but a least it's all in good fun. You on the other hand just string him along and make him feel bad. I don't think I've ever seen him more miserable when you call. Every time that phone rings and you're on the other side, I see his eyes roll into the back of his head. Clark is a big boy and can take care of himself, but I'm sure it pains Chloe just as much as it does me to see you play with his heart." Her anger was reaching a new height.

Lana fumbled for words, tears falling as she took the onslaught. She was about to get a word out in her defense, but Lois cut her off.

"No, you don't speak. You're going to listen." Lois was rising out of her seat without even thinking about it. She towered over the terrified little girl as she lost control of herself. "I know exactly why he broke up with you. I know exactly why you still love him and why you'll never be able to forgive yourself for treating him like that. You can be sorry all you want, but that will never undo the damage that you've done to him. How many nights do you think Clark and I have talked about you after the break up? I didn't once have to ask him about it, he just opened up. You want to know why?" She screamed as loud as she could at Lana.

Lana could only get out a squeak as Lois towered above her. The older woman was shaking uncontrollably. Lana couldn't even bring her eyes up to meet hers.

"He told me everything because he was fed up with being some little bitch's puppet. He was sick and tired of holding in all the pent up anger that you put in his heart. You didn't even give him a reason to regret his decision; you gave him all the fuel he needed to absolutely despise you. You're just lucky that Clark is not like the average person, or you wouldn't even be able to talk to him. I know that if I was treated like that, I would punch you straight in the face the next time I saw you." She was shaking so hard her hands were clenched, knuckles white.

Lana looked up at Lois with tears flowing down her cheeks at a furious speed. "How-how…" She couldn't continue, her tears were choking her words." How could she be so mean to her she wondered. Regaining herself, she let her anger out and stood up, her fists clenched tightly too.

Lois smiled to herself. Her words were getting through, but she wasn't done yet. She got right up to Lana's face, their noses almost touching. She calmed her voice down. "Do you remember last night when you called him and you had to yell him to get his attention?"

Lana calmed down slightly. "Yes, but how did you know that?"

The smile she gave the pink princess was one of pure evil. "Like I said, we talk about everything."

She was so close to hitting Lois, but she restrained herself. "What about last night?"

"Do you know why you had to get his attention by screaming at him?" Her smile still hadn't disappeared.

"Why?" Lana screamed in fury.

"He fell asleep." She didn't think she could grin any wider, but somehow she managed too. The look on Lana's face was priceless. She couldn't hold anything back now. "Do you know what he said when I asked him why?"

Lana was teetering so close to the edge she could feel the vein on her forehead about to pop. "What did he say?" She asked, through clenched teeth.

"Nothing." Lois said flatly.

Lana lost some of her anger, confused with Lois response.

"He laughed." She put finally, her smirk showing.

Lana lost it. Quicker than she thought she ever could, she slapped Lois hard across the face. She was so proud of herself when she saw Lois teeter over and go to one knee.

Lois didn't lose her smile as she stood back up, wiping the blood from her cheek. Looking at Lana right in the eyes, she laughed and grinned and unholy smile. "Is that the best you got?"

Lana let out an inhuman scream as she lunged at Lois, her hands wrapping tightly around her throat as they tumbled out into the aisle.

Chloe stood up in complete shock as she watched the two of them wrestle on the floor, their hair and clothes being ripped apart.

As soon as Lana had pinned her to the floor with her dainty hands around her throat, Lois had reversed the situation. She was sitting on the smaller woman's stomach, slapping her across the face multiple times with both hands. "Come on you little bitch. Is that all you got?" She was smiling to herself as Lana was trying to fend off her strikes with futility. Lana squirmed underneath her as she continued to playfully slap her around. She laughed hysterically as the younger woman struggled with all her might. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her off the little priss.

"Lois, get a hold of yourself." Chloe cried, yanking her cousin off of Lana.

Lois let herself be yanked away. She wasn't going to hurt Lana. She knew she could knock her out in a few short seconds, but she wasn't as much, angry, as she was happy. She was defending her man's honor, even if it seemed like a friends honor to others.

Lana got to her feet and charged at Lois.

Lois looked as Lana dove towards her again, this time going for her waist as only a linebacker would. She pushed Chloe away and waited for the onslaught. As soon as Lana got near her, she quickly side stepped the hit and pushed the woman down to the ground.

The momentum of her forward motion, coupled with the push, sent her head first to the ground. Her mouth hit the sticky floor first, her teeth loosening as she made contact with the bottom of a seat leg. She screamed in pain as she struggled to get to her feet. She was dizzy, but only for a second. She focused her sight on Lois again, and went to charge her. She was stopped suddenly with a firm tug to the back of her shirt collar.

Chloe watched as Andrea held Lana by the scruff of her shirt collar.

The dark haired women had Lana on her toes as she held her up, choking the woman. "Stop it, now!" Andrea hissed into Lana's ear. When Lana didn't stop kicking a flailing, she grabbed her collar a little more tightly, really choking her. She leaned in and whispered to her. "I could throw you through that movie screen if I wanted to. So, I suggest you calm down."

Lana knew somehow that Andrea was being completely serious. The way she was holding her up and choking her, she knew the woman could do it if she wanted to. She calmed down as the taller woman let her feet back down to the ground.

Lois laughed again as Lana kicked and screamed. She lost her smile when it registered to her at just how Andrea was keeping her at bay. Lana's toes were completely off the ground. The woman behind her was manhandling the queen of pink like a kitten. "How?" She asked, looking at a smiling Andrea.

"Does Chloe have any friends that are normal?" Andrea joked, laughing at Lois's facial expression.

Lois was shocked at Andrea's response. She was about to ask her another question, but Chloe grabbed her arm and dragged her back towards the theater exit.

"We need to talk." Chloe hissed, pulling Lois with all her might.


	19. Chapter 19

Ch. 19

Clark followed Lex out of the Stadium and back to the chopper. Met-U had destroyed Wichita State 44-14. He wasn't too concerned about the game though, his thoughts were straying off course to a certain pretty lady. Taking a step up in the chopper, he silently hoped he could hold his stomach. The chopper lifted up slightly and he felt his stomach toss and turn.

Lex looked over to a silent Clark. "Oh no, not again." He said, grabbing the bucket and handing it over to Clark. He had insisted that they take a limo back to Smallville, but Clark was persistent that they take the chopper because it would be quicker.

Clark almost let go of his stomach, but he was able to control it at the last second. Taking a deep breath, he slid the pail under the seat. He leaned back and stretched his legs. For some odd reason he was feeling a million times better. Frowning, he looked down to the floor. It was coated with a layer of sand.

"Just making sure that if you decide to release your stomach again, it won't be so hard to clean up." Lex was grinning from ear to ear.

"That's just cruel Lex." Clark laughed, his mirth overcoming his uneasiness.

-

"What in the world has gotten into you?" Chloe almost screamed at Lois as she dragged her to the counter.

Lois was still grinning to herself; no one was going to make her feel bad. What she had just done made her so happy; she thought she might simply fly away into the night.

Chloe just stared at her smiling cousin. Lois had a tendency to push people's buttons, but never did she think she's go as far to throw Clark into the equation. The way she deliberately shoved Lana around was not just mean, but it was downright evil. Shaking Lois, she tried desperately to get the smile off her face, but her attempts were proving futile. "Lois! I'll ask again, what the hell was that all about?"

She just ignored Chloe, sat down on a stool and began to day dream about Clark. Her mind drifted off to earlier in the afternoon as she was lying on his stomach. He had been the only thing between her and the couch. She could faintly hear yelling, but she was too far gone, swept up into her intoxicating thoughts of one large farm boy. As far as she was concerned, she was in his arms at that exact moment, clinging onto him with all her might. Resting her head in her hands, she began to moan in pleasure, fully aware that Chloe was watching. She didn't care though. No one was going to ruin her happiness.

Chloe looked at a positively beaming Lois. She had tried everything to get her attention, but the woman would have none of it. Giving up, she sat down beside her cousin to wait until she snapped back into reality. Staring at Lois, she could only wonder what the woman was thinking. What had her so happy that she would completely space out into another dimension? Suddenly an idea popped into her head, smiling evilly, she leaned up to whisper in Lois ear. "Clark." She whispered.

Lois let out a satisfied moan as she closed her eyes is pleasure. Just the mention of his name was bringing tingling sensations to her body.

Chloe was so surprised that Lois would make such noises at Clark's name; she almost fell off the stool. She was going to have a little more fun a Lois's expense, even if she had a million questions. Smiling, she grabbed one of the bottles on the counter and put it on Lois neck.

Shivering in delight, she let out a little scream. The ecstasy that the bottle brought to her was something she hadn't expected. Her chest tightened as she put a hand up to remove the bottle. She might have been in a dream world, but she knew that Clark's hands would never be that cold. Brushing the bottle away, with what could only be described as a kitten like action, she continued to moan softly.

Chloe was grinning from ear to ear. She had never seen her cousin act like this before. It was scary, but it was funny too. Taking her hand and rubbing the bottle until the outside was warm, she pushed it to Lois's lips. Her cousin was going to wail on her if she opened her eyes. She laughed out hysterically as Lois began to fumble around the wet bottle with her lips, her tongue darting out to lick up the condensation.

Lois heard a sharp, but loud laugh that brought her crashing back into reality. Opening her eyes, she was what she was doing. One minute she was kissing Clark's moist lips, and the next thing she knew, she was making out with a bottle of rum. Ripping her mouth away from the bottle, her eyes wider than golf balls, she looked over at her laughing cousin. Chloe was playing with her. Growling at her, she stood up and went to tackle her. She wasn't really going to hurt her, just make her squirm. When Chloe got out of the way just in time, Lois squealed in frustration and ran around the room trying to grab the surprisingly agile blond. "You can run Chloe, but you know that I'll get you eventually. I was always the quicker one."

Chloe stood there with her hands on her hips. She was a little drunk, she couldn't deny it. Her head was swimming a little as she stuck her tongue out. "I know, but I can run until you get tired."

Lois laughed at her cousin. "Don't let me remind you I have more stamina too." She smiled; she could see that Chloe was a little drunk already. Her cousin really didn't have a good tolerance level. "Chloe, you're already half drunk. I could walk and catch you like a dog catches a turtle, slowly and effectively."

Chloe just stuck out her tongue and wobbled on her feet a little. She closed her eyes to steady herself. When she opened them, Lois was right at her side, holding her up.

"Come on cuz, you only had three beers." Lois held her up as she regained her balance.

"I know, I must be tired or something." She felt Lois guide her back to the counter.

Lois turned around and put on a pot of coffee. "I'm not going to spend the whole night drinking by myself. Let's get you sobered up a little before we start drinking again." She smiled to herself as the coffee began to drip into the pot.

"Lois." Chloe hiccupped, suddenly. Tapping her chest, she watched Lois turn around to look at her.

"What is it Ms. I can't hold my alcohol?" She smiled.

Chloe settled down, her head beginning to straighten out as she smelt the coffee brewing. "What in the world were you doing to Lana?" This time Lois was fully alert. She expected an answer.

Lois frowned. She really didn't want to talk about it. There was no way her smile would be able to stay hidden if she did. Chloe was practically her sister though; she did owe her some answers. "Okay, I'll answer some of your questions, but there are some things I will not speak of."

"And those will be?" Chloe asked, perplexed.

"I'll tell you when you get to them."

Chloe frowned at Lois, the bridge between her eyebrows wrinkling. "Okay, but just answer me one question first." She was tired of asking it, she had asked her twice already. "Why were you being so mean to Lana?"

Lois grinned as she turned around to see if the coffee was ready. It wasn't. Sighing, she turned around to look at her cousin, resting her elbows on the counter. "I was sick and tired or her self righteous attitude. Someone needed to bring her down a peg." She smiled at Chloe, her teeth showing as she rested her chin on her fists. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

Chloe faltered. Lois was right, she had thought about it. More than once actually, several times as a matter of fact. Regaining her composure, she glared at a grinning Lois Lane. "Maybe I have, but I would never have acted on those thoughts."

Lois turned slightly to see if the light on the coffee machine was on yet. It was still off. She really didn't want to have this conversation, but she knew the harder questions were yet to come. "That's the difference between me and you. I can stand up for people; while you prefer to sit and watch them treat those close to you like dogs." She watched a Chloe flinched at her words.

"Are you questioning my loyalty to Clark?" Chloe almost yelled, her emotions getting the best of her.

Shrugging, Lois turned around and noticed the light was finally on. "Thank god." She whispered to herself, pouring two cups. When she handed a cup to Chloe, she could only stare back at her glaring eyes. "I don't know Chloe, is your loyalty where it should be. I don't want you to put any of your friends in front of one of another, but who is more important to you?" She blew on her cup while it cooled down.

Chloe was surprised at how serious Lois was being. "I don't know." She said. "You are, I guess."

Lois smirked a little. "We're friends Chloe, but we're also family, that's different. I asked you what was the one friendship you valued more than any other?"

Chloe didn't even have to hesitate; she knew what her cousin was getting at. "Clarks." She said in all seriousness.

"Good, I knew you'd spew it sooner or later." She smirked and took a small sip of her coffee. "Now, where have you been the last two months?"

Chloe knew exactly where Lois was going. "Don't pretend to blame any of this on me; I wasn't the one who played with Clark's heart." Her words were stern and un-apologetic.

"No, you weren't, but you sat there at let it happen. For two months you let her torture Clark, not once doing anything to tell her she was being a selfish jerk." Lois had lost any hint of her smile. She was going to tell Chloe what she thought, even if it was going to upset her. "I find it hard to believe that you would allow Lana to play with him so long without doing anything about it. I would never question your loyalty to your friends Chloe, but it's not as if you haven't done this sort of thing before."

Chloe almost broke down in tears. Lois was not only questioning her integrity, but her loyalty. She felt so lonely. Her cousin was right though, she had let Lana torture Clark, and she had done absolutely nothing about. She had been a horrible friend. "I didn't mean to let her continue on with it. I always figured Clark was okay with it."

Lois sighed, her frown growing deeper. She was beginning to get disappointed in her cousin. She thought Chloe wasn't this shallow. "How could you have ever thought that? You should know Clark better than anyone else; he doesn't take kindly to others playing with his emotions."

"What about you?" Chloe shot back heatedly. She was tired of getting lectured. "You toy with his emotions all the time. You tease and ridicule him constantly."

Lois took a longer sip of her coffee and set it back on the table. "I do, but he knows that I'm only kidding around. Besides, he gives back just as much as I give him. The same can't be said when it comes to Lana. You know that he doesn't have it in him to be mean to anyone. He couldn't just tell her to leave him the hell alone."

Chloe looked at her cousin. Lois had sure become wise in the ways of Clark Kent. She was suddenly feeling too ashamed to shoot back an angry glare. "I didn't mean to let her do it. I just- I don't know why I let her do it!" She screamed the last few words in complete frustration.

Tapping her hand in reassurance, Lois used her left hand to take another long swallow. "Ahhh." She responded in delight. Setting the cup back down onto the table, she grabbed both of Chloe's hands in hers. "Do you think you let her do it because you might still love him, and you were happy to see him feel the pain that you have been feeling for so long?"

Chloe's jaw dropped as the words came out. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her silence was giving Lois the answer she was seeking. Hanging her head in shame, she began to cry. She was still in love with Clark. It had been more than three years since they decided to be just friends. It pained her so much to see him move on, while she still sat, secretly, pining for him to come running back to her. "When did you become so perceptive?" She asked, wiping away her tears.

Lois's heart dropped a little. She knew that she could never let Chloe know that she and Clark were in a relationship. She wondered to herself if Clark's TV apology might have had to do with this exact thing. A sad look came across her face as she tried, but ultimately failed, to smile. There were three women who were harboring feelings for the simple farm boy, but only one woman was getting those feeling returned. She was happy that Clark was with her, but she was sad that she might have to end the relationship before it even got started. She just couldn't hurt Chloe.

"You have no idea how much it hurt to find out that you and Clark had sex. I thought my worst fears were coming true. I had thought that you had moved in on him while I as gone." She was pouring out her feelings; she had held them in so long.

Lois groaned as she rubbed her hand over her face. "Chloe, it's been over three years. He's not your property; you can't make a claim to him. God, I now know you're no better than Lana." She didn't want to be so harsh, but it was all true, and she couldn't lie to her.

Chloe almost choked on her tears after what she heard Lois say. "I can't help it that I still love him. It's not like I can just turn away from so many years of being close and not being able to have what I want." She cried louder as Lois pulled her hands away from her own.

Lois was really starting to get angry. Her cousin might be upset and crying over Clark, but she was beginning to see why Clark would never be able to be with either of them. Both Lana and Chloe were still selfish little high school teenagers who still hadn't grown up to realize that you can't always get what you want. "I think you need to spend less time around Lana. Her influence on you is becoming pathetic."

"How can you be so mean when I'm pouring out my feelings to you?" Chloe screamed, fed up with being treated so poorly.

Lois didn't even hesitate. "How can I be so cruel?" She asked, almost shouting. "I'm being cruel because it seems like the only way I can smack any sense into you two little girls." She calmed down slightly as she finished her cup of coffee. "I would have thought you were bigger than all this Chloe. You act as though you are his friend, but you still can't help but feel you have ownership over him." Rubbing her neck, she continued. "You spend all this time saying you want to get on with your life, become a big shot reporter, yet you're still stuck in Smallville, no matter how much time you actually spend in Metropolis."

Chloe got off her seat and stared right at her cousin, eyes blaring wide and bright. "And what are you doing Lois?" She was shouting again. "You've been living here for a while now. You were kicked out of school and you're working at this place. What kind of getting on with your life is that?"

Lois wasn't about to lie to her, she wasn't in any mood to do so. "I might not be moving on to bigger and better things like you are, but at least I am happy. Unlike you, I don't feel miserable and alone. You hate that you're not around Clark everyday. If you hate it so much, call him now and then. This is the first time you've been back in almost two months. He is always the one who visits and calls you, if you miss him so much, come home more often. At least call. Lana has done more of that than you have." She walked around the counter to look directly in the eyes of her cousin. "Chloe, if you still love him, tell him, but you and I both know what he is going to say."

Falling apart emotionally, she fell into Lois's arms in a heap. She clung to her cousin for dear life as she cried uncontrollably. "I just don't know what to do." She wailed.

Lois stroked her hair to comfort her. "You can't spend your whole life in love with a man that doesn't feel the same way about you. It is just going to make you miserable and alone. Just look at Lana, she has probably ruined any chance of friendship with Clark. She was too selfish and thickheaded to realize that trying to hold onto him only drove them farther apart. It is only a matter of time until you and Clark end up that way too. You will distance yourself from him because you are too afraid to get hurt."

"What do I do?" Chloe asked, stepping back and wiping away her tears, yet again.

Lois bent down a little and put her hands on her cousin's shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. "You have to move on, get over him. It's obvious that he really values your friendship; otherwise he wouldn't take time out of his day to call and visit you. He still cares for you, and I know you care for him. If you don't want to lose that, you must move on, otherwise you will lose him forever."

Chloe nodded furiously. She knew Lois was right. Clark was her best friend, and no matter how much she still loved him, she couldn't even begin to imagine how a life without just his friendship would be like. "I will try." She said softly, wiping her tear stained cheeks.

Lois grabbed the bottle of rum on the counter and handed it to Chloe. "Don't just try, succeed." Her smile was contagious as she saw her cousin's lips split slightly. "There we go. Now, drink up."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she opened the bottle. Tilting her head back, she took a small swallow.

"Come on cuz, what kind of drinker are you." Lois snatched the bottle out of her hand and took a deep guzzle. "Now, that's how you drink from the bottle." She burped and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Now, you are going to have to tell me how Andrea lifted Lana up like a kitten."

Chloe followed after Lois who was making her way back to the theater. "I'll let her tell you about that. I'm just trying to forget everything that has happened so far."

"Good." Lois responded in a cheery tone. She handed the bottle back over to her cousin. "Just keep drinking this, and everything you have been through here tonight will become just another drunken, forgotten, memory.

Andrea watched as both Lois and Chloe came back into the theater. "Are you two okay?" She asked. "I heard some screaming and shouting."

"We're fine." Chloe replied, taking another swallow form the bottle of rum. "How's Lana."

"Drunk." Andrea put simply. She pointed up to the little stage by the screen, where the movie was still playing.

Lana was dancing around on the small stage, her bare feet sliding effortlessly as she lost herself in the movie's music.

"How much has she drunk?" Lois asked. She was actually concerned.

Andrea rolled her eyes suggestively. "Who knows, but it was enough to get her thoroughly hammered. She's a fun drunk though." She smiled at the two of them, her small dimples showing.

Chloe ran down to the front of the theater to help Lana before the pink wonder fell and got hurt.

"How are you and Chloe really?" Andrea asked. She could feel Chloe's apprehension earlier.

"She wanted to ask me a lot of questions, but we sort of got off track." Lois frowned and smirked at the same time. "Now, are you going to tell me how you picked up that little pink kitten with one hand?"

Andrea laughed. She slapped her bottle of tequila against Lois's stomach. "Only if you can drink me under the table."

Lois felt a sly smile creep onto her face.

-

The chopper set down, the night sky swallowing up the noise. Clark took a step out, glad that he had finally gotten over his vomiting stage. Stretching, he took a deep breath. "That went better than I thought. Now, Lex, how in the world am I ever going to pay you back?"

Lex walked with Clark back to the mansion. "No need to. If you can just accept it as an apology for earlier, then we're even."

Clark shrugged. "If you say so Lex." He followed the billionaire through the back doors of the mansion and into the main office.

"Are you up for a game of pool?" Lex asked, removing his ever present overcoat.

Clark looked at his watch. It was almost eleven. "I'd love to Lex, but I have to be up early for chores. Rain check?" Truth be told, he didn't have to be up that early, he just wanted to be alone for the rest of the evening.

"Sure." Lex said. "Goodnight Clark."

Clark stopped just in front of large double doors. He turned around. "Goodnight Lex." He said, turning back around and heading through the doors. Stepping out into the cold night air, he headed towards the truck, his mind racing from not only the days events, but the evening's too. No matter how much everything was weighing down on him, it only took one thought of a certain woman to make his spirits soar to new levels. He smiled as he got in the truck. He put his hand to the key to start it, but he stopped suddenly. Tonight he was finally going to able to sleep in his own bed.


	20. Chapter 20

Ch. 20

Chloe was completely wasted. Her head was swimming in only dirty thoughts as she sat around the rest of them on the floor. The movie wasn't even half done yet, but both she and Lana were wrecked.

Lois rolled her eyes as she saw both Lana and her cousin rolling and laughing on the floor. It was something both of them did when they were drunk. Everything they said was funny to them, even if it wasn't a word. So much as a noise would cause them to go wild. She groaned some more as they both continued to role around in front of her. Looking up to a still sober Andrea, she could feel her own buzz coming on. "What, not feeling the least bit tipsy?" She asked the black haired woman.

Andrea shrugged. She had never tested her alcohol tolerance level since her heart transplant. Truth be told, she wasn't allowed to drink, doctors orders, but she was a special case to say the least. "Nope." She smiled back to Lois. "I'm going to hold you to our deal. You get me drunk first and I tell you about myself." She grinned even wider, now knowing she wouldn't be doing that.

"Hmph." Lois snorted, finishing the bottle of rum she had started earlier. "Now for something with better taste." She said, grabbing a bottle of tequila. "I know that I'm not going to win this battle, so I'm just going to drink myself into a drunken haze until I can't walk."

"You can't just do that and escape your part of the deal." Andrea grinned as she cracked open a beer.

Lois slid the bottle from her lips and frowned. "It was a one sided bet. I had nothing coming in my direction."

"No, but I think that should change. I'm going to want something from you when I best you."

"And that will be?" Lois was giving Andrea a stupid smirk.

Andrea thought for a second. She smiled as she got an idea. "When I get you drunk, I'm going to make you tell me something about yourself that no one else knows about."

Lois shrugged and brought the bottle back to her mouth. Taking a deep swallow, she exhaled sharply, letting the sting run its way through her throat. "It's a deal." She said, taking another drink. "There are some sweet little innocent things that I can let you in on that won't have much to do with anything." Her head was beginning to get a little fuzzy; the tequila was working really well.

Chloe sat up, tears in her eyes from her mirth. She watched as Lana was doing the same, tears staining her cheeks too. She rocked from side to side as her head swam at the small altitude change. "Ouch." She said, looking over at her cousin who was looking a little tipsy herself. "What was it like?" She asked Lois suddenly.

Lois shot her cousin a funny look. "What was what like?" She asked, her voice halting only a little.

Chloe giggled like a little schoolgirl. "What was sex with Clark like?" Her giggling continued as Lana joined in with her.

Lois crashed back into soberness as she stared at her drunken cousin. She slowly peered over to Andrea, whose eyes were wide with wonder. "I told you I'm not going to talk about anything related to that. I thought I made that clear earlier this afternoon." She glared at a still giggling Chloe.

Calming down, she peered at Lois with one eye open. "Come on, just a few details cuz, we're dieing to know." She wobbled on her sitting spot, the room spinning suddenly, but only for a few seconds.

Groaning in frustration, Lois resigned to letting them know a little. She knew they weren't going to stop asking, and if they did it later, she might say something a little too graphic while she was drunk. "Okay, I'll answer some of your questions, but! Only a few, you got it?"

Chloe giggled some more as she thought about her first question. "So, was it any good?" She asked, grabbing another beer.

Lois swallowed the lump in her throat. Luckily she was near drunkenness; otherwise she wouldn't have said a damn thing. "It was okay."

It was Lana's turn to laugh hysterically. She fell onto her side again in pain, her sides hurting as she giggled uncontrollably. "I can't believe you just said that." She was struggling to get the words out as she continued to laugh.

Lois frowned. "What do you mean?"

Chloe picked up where Lana left off, her slurring speech giving her trouble with the words. "She's told me countless times that the one time she was with Clark intimately, she thought that her head was going to blow off." She laughed some more, her mind unable to grasp any serious meaning.

Grumbling, Lois just took another drink. "I am not like you two; I have done the deed more than once in my life. From past experience, I can tell you that it wasn't anything special." It was a lie of course, it had been the most incredible few seconds of sex she had ever had, but of course she wasn't going to admit to that, it would only fuel their skepticism that there was something more going on. "I can't speak for both of you, but I think you both need to experience a little more of it yourself."

Lana looked over a Chloe. Her friend's wide eyes caused her to double over in laughter again.

Chloe would have followed suit, but she couldn't help but stare at Lois. "What are you saying? Do you think us depraved?"

Lois smiled and took another long swallow of tequila. "I think you know exactly what I mean." She was still smiling as her buzz was quickly developing more steam. In a matter of minutes, she was going to be drunk. "What time is it?" She asked her cousin, her speech slurring a little.

Chloe waved the question away. "I still have some questions." She burped a couple of times, pounding lightly on her own chest. Seeing the distain on Lois's face, she only pressed harder. "Did you use protection?" She asked, grinning from ear to ear. "Or will there be a little Clark Jr. running around in nine months?" She giggled softly as another burp came out.

Lois rolled her eyes at the question. "I'm on the pill if you must know. I'm not that stupid Chloe." She was feeling tipsier by the moment. "What would be wrong with having a kid? I'd be a good mother." It was her drunken mouth that blurted it out, not her.

Chloe laughed loudly, her mirth deepening the redness on her face. "Lois Lane a mom? That'll be the day." She laughed even louder when she saw the scowl on her cousin's face. "Don't tell me you actually think you'd be a good mother?"

"Why not, I love kids."

Chloe was still laughing when she heard that. "Yeah right. I remember you telling me one time that you wouldn't have kids unless you were forced too. You said that kids were just noisy, moody, and expensive."

Lois stopped her retort. Thinking for second, she smiled. "I guess you're right, I'm not thinking clearly."

Lana wobbled on her elbow, trying to keep a straight face. "I don't think any of us are thinking straight."

Andrea was though; she couldn't even begin to feel any effect of the numerous quantities of alcohol she had ingested. She watched as the others around her began to teeter towards passing out, while she remained completely sober. She was a little sad that she couldn't partake in their fun, but she was just happy that she actually had some friends. Chloe was her friend, but these other two women were quickly becoming two more. She had always wanted to have a group of friends, and now that had become a reality.

"So." Chloe said, her mouth struggling to keep up with her mind. "How big was his-"

"Chloe!" Lois screamed. She gazed in horror at her younger cousin's face. The little blond was smiling ruefully, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "I don't think I'm going to answer any more of your questions on this subject." She slammed back the bottle, allowing some of the drink to spill out down her chin.

Chloe snickered behind her hand. She peered over to Lana, who was snoring loudly. Looking at her watch, she frowned. It was only midnight, how could they have drunk so much so quickly? "Ugh, I'm suddenly feeling tired my self." She lay down onto the sloped aisle floor, her head lying lower than her feet. She felt a sudden rush of blood to her head, causing it to throb in pain. Grunting in displeasure, she turned around one hundred and eighty degrees, so that blood went to her feet instead. She snuggled her head into the sticky floor, quickly falling asleep.

Lois grinned as she watched both Lana and Chloe begin to snore. She glanced over to Andrea. "It's only midnight and they're already passed out. Lightweights." She snorted. Her head was bouncing around as if someone was playing soccer with it. "Ouch." She said, putting her hand to her head. "I guess I'll have to throw myself into that sentence too. All of a sudden, I feel tired too." Getting to her feet, she wobbled back and forth, her head swimming in pain.

"Where do you think you are going?' Andrea asked, watching Lois regain her composure.

"Home." Lois replied. "To a warm bed." She wasn't thinking clearly.

"I don't think so." Andrea said, standing up and putting a hand on Lois's shoulder.

Lois brushed the hand away with little effort. "You can drive me if you want, or I can walk. Either way, I will fall asleep in my own bed tonight." She began to stumble towards the theater exit.

Andrea caught up to her and fished around for the keys in Lois's pockets. Quicker than a blink of an eye, she had them in her hands and in her own pocket.

"Hey!" Lois shouted, slurring the word heavily. "Well, I guess you better drive, I don't think I can." she almost fell through the swinging doors, her legs felt like dead tree limbs. "Ugh, I don't feel so good." She quickly stumbled over to the entrance door, unlocked it, and stepped outside, vomiting all over the sidewalk.

Andrea sighed and rolled her eyes. She quickly followed after Lois. The cool night air slammed into her as she went through the doors. Finding the right key, she locked the talon door again. She smiled to herself as she turned around t o see Lois trying to open her car door.

"Come on you stupid thing. Open!" She pulled harder and harder on the handle, her fingers beginning to redden as she struggled to get it open. "I don't remember ever having this much trouble opening a door." Her mind couldn't piece together that it was actually locked. She gave up and looked over at an approaching Andrea. "I think I'm too drunk to even open a car door." Her sloppy smile was accompanied with a little vomit on her chin. She wiped it off with the back of her hand.

"It's locked." Andrea said, laughing. She unlocked the door and opened it. She watched, still laughing, as Lois pushed the front seat forward and crawled into the back seat. Andrea pushed the front seat back and got in. Turning on the car, she turned down the radio. She would let Lois fall asleep in the car rather than have her throwing up in it. "I won the bet Lois." She said, as she began to pull out of the parking spot.

Lois mumbled a groan. She knew what Andrea was telling her. "Do I have to?" She asked, so close to sleep she couldn't even open her eyes.

"Yes." Andrea stated. "A bet is a bet."

"Fine." Lois grumbled to the woman.

"Well?" Andrea waited for her answer as she heard no noise out of Lois for a few seconds.

Lois was too tired to think up something, she just said what was on the edge of her mind. "I think I'm falling for Clark."

Andrea gripped the steering wheel a little harder as she reached the outskirts of town. She looked into the backseat to say something to Lois, but she stopped herself when she noticed the brunette was sound asleep. Looking back to the road, she couldn't help but wonder what in the world Clark had that she wasn't seeing. It seemed as though every woman in Smallville was in love with him. Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed Lex's number.

"Lex?...I didn't think you'd still be up….I'm fine…..no everyone else is okay….I am just driving Lois home…..Do you think you could come to the Talon, I'm feeling a little lonely, Chloe and Lana are already passed out……thanks….Bring some pillows with you…..I love you too…..Bye."

She flipped her phone shut and turned up the radio. Country music began to emanate out the speakers. She snorted a laugh. Lois must really be falling for Clark, for the way Chloe spoke; the woman would never willingly listen to country.

-

Clark lay on the couch, staring at the barn ceiling. He could tell that Lois had been laying on it earlier, there were a few of her hairs stuck to the arm and he could smell her fragrance. Smiling to himself, he began to drift off to sleep, too tired from the day's events to make his way to the house. He was jolted awake when he heard sound of tires on gravel. Galloping down the stairs, he went to see who was coming in the laneway at such a late hour. Lois said she was spending the night at the Talon. He frowned as he watched Lois's car pull up to the house. He walked towards it, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was sure he'd have to break it off with Lois soon, but not this soon. His worry washed away as he saw Andrea get out of the car. "Andrea, what are you doing here? And in Lois's car."

Andrea took a step out of the car as she turned it off. "Hey Clark, just thought I'd give Lois a ride back."

"She told me that she was going spend the night at the talon with the rest of you."

Rolling her eyes, she dangled the keys on her finger. "You know how it is when you're drunk, you tend to change your mind a lot."

"Actually, I don't know how it is." He grinned at her sheepishly. "What about you, were you not drinking?"

"More than I ever have before. I guess this new heart is not only good for stopping muggers, but can withstand the effects of alcohol." She smiled back at Clark. "I guess I know how you feel."

Clark laughed. "Well, it's not a bad thing. By the way I've seen Lois act after a night of drinking; I think it makes me a little happier knowing I'll never feel like that."

Andrea could only agree. "I've had a few of those nights earlier in my life. I can say with all honesty, I'm not going to miss them." She grinned widely, standing aside and opening the door a little more. "Do you mind?" She asked.

"No." He replied, leaning into the car and lifting Lois in his arms. He cradled her as he pulled her out of the car. She was sound asleep. "So, are you heading back to the Talon, or the mansion?"

"Lex is coming over to the talon to spend the night. Chloe and Lana are already passed out." She saw a look of worry cross his face. "Don't worry, Lex should already be there. Those two aren't going to drown in their own vomit; they didn't drink too much, just enough to get them really drunk."

Clark chuckled. He had seen Lois drunk, but never Chloe and Lana. "Wish I was there."

"No you don't." Andrea laughed as she got back into the car. "Good night." She said, starting the engine.

"Good night." Clark replied. He walked up the steps of the house and through the doorway. He smiled as he felt her soft breath on his neck. It reeked of alcohol, but it was warm. Going up the stairs, he walked up them sideways, making sure he didn't have to wake Lois up by bending her in an awkward position. He pushed open the bedroom door and set her down in the bed. He pulled the covers overtop of her and backed towards the door. He wasn't going to sleep in his bed after all. As quickly as the idea of crawling into the bed with her came, it was gone. He couldn't do it. He could jut imagine having to try and explain it all to his parents if he got caught.

He went back down the stairs and headed straight for the couch. He removed his shirt and he went to take off his boots. He stopped his movement when he heard his name. It was faint, but he focused his hearing on the voice. It was Andrea, and she sounded like she was afraid. He didn't bother putting his shirt back on, he was too preoccupied with finding her. Running out the front door, he looked around to see what was amiss.

Andrea was about to pull onto the Laneway when Lex's Ferrari showed up. She was puzzled that he would come out to the Kent farm instead of going to the Talon. Getting out, she walked towards the car, but stopped when she saw that it was the stolen Ferrari from earlier. She watched as the two blond twins from the lake stepped out, each dressed in jeans and black coats. Their attire wasn't really the thing she noticed most, it was the guns they each had that caught her attention.

"Don't move." The blond from the passenger side said. "Where is Clark?" The other twin said, her voice was menacing.

"Right here." Clark said, walking up beside Andrea, and then placing himself in front of her. "I knew you'd keep your word. You didn't seem like the kind of people who don't keep promises." Clark grinned at them. "Where's your sister?" He asked, his eyes glinting in laughter.

The blond on the right shot a bullet right beside him, trying to scare him. Clark didn't even flinch. He could feel Andrea behind him jump though. Turning his head back a little, he spoke out the side of his mouth. "Get behind the car. I can deal with this." When he saw her moved behind the car, he focused his attention back onto the twins in front of him.

"She would be here if she could walk." The one on the left was getting angrier. "If you hadn't broken her leg, we would have killed you later, but this became rather personal when you took it upon yourself to injure her. So, we've decided to spare you the wait and kill you now."

"Clark!" Martha shouted from the porch, Jonathon standing alongside her.

"Get in the house." Clark yelled back. He watched his parents hurry back into the house before he looked back at the twins. "What do you think you're going to accomplish by killing me? What is it exactly that you want?"

The twins looked at each, their faces splitting with huge grins. "First we wanted your seed, but now we just want revenge."

Clark frowned at them. "I broke your sister's leg and now you're going to kill me? Doesn't sound like getting even or even revenge, sounds like murder." He was really trying to understand what these women were really after. They wanted something from him, but they would say what it was.

"Do you think that we are so ignorant to believe that someone who could break her leg with just the squeeze on his hand doesn't have some type of abilities? Like we said before, we have never been denied before." The two of them were still smiling in what could only be described as pure evil.

"So this is about my abilities then?"

"Well, yes, but we do need you dead so that we can take them from you. We realize that now." The two of them walked closer to the shirtless man.

"Why would you want my abilities? He asked, his glare turning to a frown.

"Power." They both said in unison. "Don't think that you're the first meteor freak that we have done this to, we've killed so many of them to get to the strength we are today."

Clark couldn't help but laugh. They weren't dealing with any meteor freak.

The twins looked at each other, concern coming to their features. It was quickly followed by anger. "Why do you laugh, are you so stupid to believe that we won't kill you for your powers?"

Clark shrugged; he was going to play with them a little. "It's not that I'm worried about. It's how you are going to remove my abilities that interest me. Care to explain how you do it?"

The twin on the right looked at him, her anger growing higher. "We cannot explain it, we just touch you and we have it. You should feel lucky that we will kill you before we take it. When we usually take a freak's abilities, they die an excruciating death." They strode up even closer; their guns pointed only inches away from his chest. They each looked at each other again and smiled evilly.

Clark took that as his opening and snatched both of their guns away from them as they still stood grinning at one another. When they realized that he had taken their guns, they looked to their hands and back at him, their eyes wide. With a gun in each hand, he closed his fists and crushed them into pieces of scrap aluminum and steel. Letting them drop to the ground, he looked at the twins, his own evil grin shooting right back at them.

"We figured you might be quick and strong. Every freak has abilities. We can just use ours to take yours now; the pain will be unbearable, we promise." Their shocked expressions had turned into grins again. They reached out to touch Clark's chest.

He went to speed around them, to surprise them from behind, but they were quick. Not as quick as him, but quick enough that one of them was able to get a finger on him. His body exploded is a wash of light. The ground around him began to vibrate as she put her hand flat on his chest. He screamed in pain as he felt his very life being sucked out of him. Just when he thought they were going to succeed in stripping him of his abilities, something stopped it. A horrifying thud could be heard as thunder rumbled above him.

The blond with her hand on his chest went flying backward with such force; she slammed head first into the barn door, her neck breaking on impact. The second twin fell to her knees, clutching her ears in pain as she began to scream.

Andrea grabbed her own ears as she watched one of the twins die when she hit the barn. She began to regain her feet as she watched Clark stand their unmoving, his eyes transfixed on the other blond. His stare was beyond frightening.

The second woman, whose twin was no more, shrieked in pain, the thud had popped her ear drums. She scooted back towards the barn, deathly afraid of what might happen next. She noticed her dead sister and stood up on wobbly legs. Her anger rose as she reached in her coat and pulled out a handgun. She fired it at the man who had just killed her sister. She stared in horror as he walked towards her, the bullets bouncing off him like rubber balls. "What are you?" She cried, dropping the gun and cowering in front of him.

Clark looked down at her. He lost his grin when he saw the dead body beside her. He didn't mean to kill her. He had no idea what had just happened.

"Please!" She wailed. "Please don't kill me." She was pleading on her knees.

Clark grabbed her by the coat collar and yanked her to her feet. "I'm not going to kill you." His voice and stare was one of complete seriousness.

"Thank you, thank you." She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He lifted her off her feet, his hand still holding firmly the collar of her jacket. "I won't kill you, but I promise you, if you come back here again, I will not be so forgiving." He brought her right to his face, their noses almost touching. "Do you understand me?" He hissed.

She turned white a snow, the blood in her face completely disappearing as she stared right into the eyes of pure power. In those eyes she could see the power he wielded, she longed for it, but most of all; she feared it.

"Do you understand me?!" He screamed at her this time, trying to get his meaning across, since she seemed not to be listening.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she could only nod that she understood.

"Good." He said in a normal tone. He let go of her and watched her fall back against the barn door. He was sure he had scared her enough. In truth, he had scared himself. He lied; he wouldn't be able to kill her if she came back. There was no way in the world he would purposely murder someone, just hurting them brought him incredible discomfort. He put up a hand to stop her as she darted for the car. "Take her with you." He said, pointing to the lifeless body on the ground. Almost loosing his stomach, he watched the woman pick up her sister with little effort and put her in the car. He watched as the car backed up and disappeared from his sight. Turning to Andrea, he saw a look of absolute horror on her face.

Andrea stared at him, unable to tear her gaze away. She saw such incredible pain cross his face, and the next thing she knew, she was standing alone in the moonlight. Clark had sped off out of view.

-

Lois stood at her window, the scene she had just watched running back and forth in her mind. When she heard the first gunshot, she instinctively woke up and ducked on the floor. She might have been drunk, but her father had always taught her to be aware of her surroundings, no matter what personal state she was in. Everything had happened so quickly for mind to comprehend. One moment Clark had two woman with guns pointed at him, then all of the sudden one of them was dead and the other was screaming, but Clark just stood there, unharmed. The loud thud had almost rendered her deaf, but she could hear Clark screaming at the woman. As she was trying to comprehend it, he just disappeared into thin air. Shaking her head, she went back to bed, passing it all off as nothing but a drunken hallucination.


	21. Chapter 21

Ch. 21

Jonathon came walking out of the house, Martha clinging tightly to his arm. They walked slowly over to a frightened woman hiding behind Lois's car. "Andrea?" He asked, getting closer and closer.

Andrea turned towards Clark's parents, tears in her eyes. She had never met Jonathon and Martha Kent, but Clark had told her enough about them she could clearly tell who they were. She was still hiding behind the car, frightened for her life. She tried to speak, but was at a complete loss.

Martha bent down and helped the frightened woman up off the ground.

Jonathon stared at the young woman. She was almost six feet tall, long black hair and a slender, but muscular build. "I take it the bullets scared you?" He knew Clark trusted this woman with his secret, he would have to too. When the young lady didn't respond, he looked around the farm for any signs of Clark.

Andrea stood on wobbly legs as she was helped to her feet. She laughed at herself as Martha gave her a hand. She had her own abilities, but what Clark possessed was far and away more superior. She just couldn't believe she could be so weak that it would take another person to get her off the ground. "We have to find him." She declared, stepping away from the older woman's grasp.

Jonathon stepped in front of her as he put a hand up. "You have understand, Clark has a hard time dealing with hurting people. He just needs to be alone right now."

Andrea stared up at him, her eyes almost popping out of her sockets. "He didn't just hurt her, he killed her."

"What?" Martha almost shouted. Her son would never kill someone.

Jonathon's face paled as he looked over at his wife's sunken face, and back down to Andrea. "Did he actually kill her?" He asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Andrea closed her eyes and shook her head to clear out the cobwebs. She was trying to remember what had exactly happened. The loud thud was still echoing in her ears. "He didn't directly send her against the barn. When she touched him, she just flew back."

Martha worked up the courage to ask some more questions. "So, if he didn't directly kill her, how did she die? We couldn't see it very well from the house."

Andrea tried to push the sight of the woman's neck snapping out of her mind, but it was consuming her thoughts. She considered herself a strong woman, but the sight of someone dieing right in front of her made her sick. "She broke her neck on impact. I've never see anyone hit something so hard."

Jonathon rubbed the back of his neck. "You're right; we're going to have to find him." He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "He may not have killed her, but he is going to believe it was his fault. This is completely new, and I have no idea how he is going to react."

"I think I scared him." Andrea said quickly, trying to deflect some of the blame. "The way I was looking at him after they left, I made him hate himself."

Martha went over to the young woman and wrapped her in a hug. She was a good half foot taller than herself, but she felt like a little girl in her arms, her tears falling to the ground and then onto her shoulder. "Don't blame yourself Andrea. There was nothing you could have done."

Andrea fought for words through her tears. "I should have done something; I'm not without my own abilities."

"We know." Jonathon said in a fatherly tone. "They had guns though, and Clark is the only one who is bulletproof. He would never allow you to get hurt, no matter what." He knew his son would have rather died than let anyone perish. Staring down at his flannel pants and t-shirt, he stared back up at the two of them. "I'll get changed and head out to find him."

Martha nodded furiously. "We can have a better chance of finding him if we split up."

Jonathon frowned a little. "I have a pretty good idea where he's gone, but I think the both of you need to stay here for now. I don't want either of you around him if he's not himself."

"Jonathon." Martha said sternly.

"I know, but I am his father, and this is something I will do by myself. I couldn't let either of you be put in harms way." He finished his sentence with stern authority as he headed back to the house to change.

Andrea looked over to Martha, her eyes still filled with moisture. "They are so much alike." She said.

Martha smiled, but only faintly. "That they are dear."

Andrea watched as Clark's father disappeared into the house. "I should get back to the Talon, Lex is probably wondering where I am."

Martha watched as the young woman got into Lois's car and drove away. She only hoped that the young woman was smart enough to tell absolutely nothing to Lex. The millionaire couldn't be trusted anymore, but it seemed like the Andrea was smitten with him. She turned back around as she watched her husband come out of the house, putting on his jacket. "You don't have to do this alone, I can come with you." She followed him to the truck.

"I know honey, but we've been over this many times." He stopped as he opened the door. He could see the disapproving look on her face. "I will bring him back, we won't lose him again."

She rested her hand on his arm as he started the truck. "Just be careful, you don't know what he's going to do. Remember the last time he blamed himself for something like this, he disappeared for three months."

Jonathon forced a weak smile. "I will not allow him to leave us again." He put his foot to the pedal and sped out of the laneway.

-

Andrea pulled up to the Talon, parking right up behind one of Lex's exotic cars. She had done some thinking as she was driving, and she was trying not to get mad, but she was livid. It was Lex's fault. If the man had never bought Clark the women, no one would have died, and Clark wouldn't have run off. Getting out of the car, she strode heatedly towards the door, ready to bite his head off.

Lex turned around as he heard the door open. He lifted up the popcorn tub as he saw Andrea walk in. "Want some pop-." His voice came to a halt as he saw the look on her face. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" She screamed at him, her emotions getting the best of her. She got right up to him, her voice only dropping in volume a little. "What's wrong is that those bimbos you paid to give Clark a good time came to the farm and tried to kill him."

"What?" Lex asked, shocked. "Why would they do that? Is everyone okay?"

Andrea calmed herself down, but she was still angry. "Everyone is okay, but one of the blond twins died."

"Died?" Lex asked. "How?"

"Clark killed her."

Lex dropped the bucket of popcorn. He was never one to be surprised; he had long ago learned that showing emotion was a sign of weakness, but what Andrea just told him, was something he thought he'd never hear. "How is he taking it?" As soon as he was surprised, it quickly turned into concern for his friend.

"Not well." She screamed at him again. "He's run off. We have no idea where he went." She was so close to grabbing him by the collar and flinging him through the tables and chairs, but she loved him, and realized she would never be able to hurt him. She calmed down and pulled at his sleeve. "Come on, we have to find him."

Lex held fast to his standing place as she tugged on him again and again. "There is no way you're going to find him. When Clark wants to disappear, he does so. Even I can't find him." He looked at her angry stare. "You can be angry at me all you want for telling you so, but it's true."

Andrea stared, shocked at his calm demeanor. "How can you be so calm?" She yelled at him angrily. "I'm almost pulling out my hair thinking about what might have happened to him. Mr. Kent is out looking for him, but you say we shouldn't." She put both her hands to his overcoat and yanked him to her. She stared into his eyes, her anger dissipating as she began to break down. Falling into his chest, she gave up. "He was in so much pain; he looked as if he might harm himself." She cried into his chest.

Lex rubbed her back, trying to reassure her that Clark would be fine. "I know Clark. He may be a little strange, but he has a good heart. He won't do anything stupid." He pulled her away from him at arms length. "I promise you, Clark will be okay, he always is." He put his hand to her chin and lifted it. "Mr. Kent will find him, He is the most determined and wise person I know. He will know what to do if something goes bad."

Andrea wiped away her tears. She felt partly responsible that he took off. Maybe he would have stuck around if she hadn't looked at him the way she did. She wanted so badly to go out and look for him, but she knew Lex was right. Clark wouldn't be found until he wanted to be.

Lex looked down at her chest. She wasn't wearing her coat. He trailed his finger over a rather large scar between her breasts. Looking up at her, his voice was filled with love and care. "What is this?" He asked. "I didn't see it earlier."

She took his hand off her scar and rubbed it softly. "Grab some more popcorn and I'll tell you all about it."

-

Jonathon parked the truck as he grabbed the flashlight from the seat beside him. Turning off the truck, he opened the door and made his way to the entrance. He glanced at his watch and winced at the time. It was after one in the morning. It was late, but making sure his son was alright was more important than the time of day. Squeezing into the entrance proved easy. It looked as if Clark had increased the girth of the opening. He chuckled to himself. His son would have been the only one to have the means to do so.

Walking into the caves at night was eerily strange, but he knew this was the only place he might have a chance at finding his son. The flashlight illuminated the cavern walls as he approached further towards the back wall. There was a crack in it, a bright light coming from it. Approaching it with caution, he tried to be a silent as possible. He thought he could hear breathing, but his ears were nothing like Clark's. He walked through the back wall to the back chamber where the stones had been placed over a year ago. The stones may not have existed anymore, but the link to the fortress did. He had fully expected to enter the portal, but he was stopped as he noticed Clark lying flat overtop of the stone tablet.

Dropping the flashlight, he rushed up beside his son and turned him over. Clark didn't appear to have any markings or injuries, but that was always the case. Things were either internal or psychological with him. "Son." He grabbed Clark's face in his hands and opened his eyes with his thumbs. He was simply unconscious as he watched his son's stomach fall down every couple seconds. "Clark, wake up." He said, shaking his son's head in his hands.

Clark's eyes fluttered open as he heard his name being called. "Dad?" He asked, adjusting his eyes to the light of the room.

"I'm here Clark." Jonathon said, helping his son to his feet. "I didn't think I could wake you."

Clark shrugged off his father's hand and stopped to look back at the stone table. "I was just sleeping."

"You were just sleeping?"

"Yes." Clark said, looking from the stone to his father. "I tend to lie unconscious, asleep if you will, when I come back from the fortress." Clark saw the concern on his fathers face. "Don't worry, it's a nice snooze. The dreams are very pleasant."

Jonathon didn't want to bring up a sore subject, but he knew they would have to talk about what happened. "Why did you go to the fortress?" He asked, knowing full well Clark was going to be hesitant to answer, but he was pleasantly surprised.

"I needed some answers about what in the world was happening. I couldn't make sense of anything."

"What did Jor-El say?"

Even though he was emotionally exhausted, Clark managed a smile. "What do you think?"

Jonathon snorted a laugh as he put his hand on his sons shoulder from behind. "It's not your fault Clark." He said, squeezing his shoulder tighter.

Clark nodded, still staring at the stone alter. "I know I didn't mean to kill her. In truth, I know that it wasn't my fault, but I just couldn't stand the way it made me feel." He turned to look at his father, his face faltering as he tried to get the words out. "For a moment, I felt a sense of just how powerful I am." He paused for a second as he let his gaze trail back to the stone. "Worst of all, I loved it."

He let his hand fall from his son's shoulder as he took a step back. "Are you saying that you enjoyed seeing them suffer?"

Clark couldn't even look at his father, his eyes flowing with tears as he rested his hands on the stone. "I don't know, maybe." His body racked in a sob as he clenched the stone table in his hands. "I just felt as if nothing could hurt me. Not some meteor freak, not even kryptonite." He took a deep sigh mustered enough courage to turn to his father. "For a moment, I was glad she was dead. It made me feel invincible."

Jonathon stared at his son, a look of pain crossing the young man's features as he grabbed him by the shoulders. "Right now, do you feel that way?"

"Of course not." Clark replied.

"Then that's what matters Clark. Everyone has their moments, all be it yours are a little more extreme." He shook Clark a little as he forced a smile out of the young man. "You cannot let those moments of weakness, no matter how short they may be, consume you. The real test of a man is to deal with those moments in the best way possible, because no one is perfect son, not even you."

Clark put a hand on his father's right arm. "I know that, but I am not like other men, I'm not even human. I'm beginning to wonder if what I read in the ship was true. Maybe I was sent to conquer. Maybe that is the only way I will ever feel truly happy."

Jonathon grabbed his son's shoulders tighter. "Do not let one moment of confusion cloud your judgment. We raised you human son, we raised you to believe in the good of mankind."

"Yes, I know that, but the truth is no matter what, I will always be different. I may not have a choice when it comes to my destiny." Clark saw his fathers frown, but he cut him off before he could say anything. "I know what you're going to say, that I make my own destiny. I think though, that my running away from my destiny may be the cause of all this. What if I just accepted what Jor-El has offered me, what if I just accept my destiny?"

Jonathon felt his heart sink for his son. He could see the confused and bewildered look in his eyes. He said the only thing he could think of. "What if that destiny turned out to be what you read in the ship? Could you live the rest of your life knowing full well that you made the decision to enslave mankind, just because you were too afraid to create your own destiny?"

Clark thought about it for a moment. "No, I guess I couldn't."

"I know you couldn't Clark. You may not be human, but that doesn't mean that human can't have many definitions. All you have to remember is that you are my son, and I have raised you to make the right choices. I have no doubt that when the time comes to make such choices, you will make the right ones." He let go of Clark's shoulders and looked back to the stone. "I know you have questions Clark, I do too, but we cannot allow them to rule our life. We must live in the moment."

Clark knew his father was wise, but the words he spoke made so much sense. All his insecurities and pain seemed to wash away as his dad explained it all to him. Why he had been so blind to it all he didn't know. Things in his life were starting to become different, but exciting at the same time. He felt as if something was always going to come between him and his happiness, but he now understood that it was himself that became between it and him. His own fears made him back away, to dig himself a lonely hole so that he wouldn't hurt anyone. "You're right dad. I cannot let fear control my life. I have spent so much time concerned with what might happen, rather than enjoying what is happening."

"I'm glad you see it that way, but you must remember; we cannot have people coming onto our farm and trying to kill you. You still have a secret to protect and it comes before everything else." His voice was stern, but fatherly.

"I know dad, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy my life." His little happiness at realizing his mistakes dwindled as his father became more protective.

"Don't worry Clark. Things have a way of evening out. All the pain you feel, it will be balanced. I'm sure of it."

"What, you've become a teacher of the universe?" Clark asked, laughing, as he followed his dad out of the back cavern and into the main one.

Jonathon snorted a laugh as he turned around and walked backwards. "Only if you decide to come home, your mother is worried about you."

"No doubt." Clark said, touching the keyhole in the wall. The back wall closed as he watched the yellow, pink, green, and blue symbols faded away. "I'm coming home. I've learned that running away from your problems will only lead you to what you fear most."

"It's good to see that you're taking some of my advice to heart."

Clark followed his dad out of the caves and to the truck. "I think I've always followed your advice, but I allowed my own concerns cloud it. I won't be making that mistake again." He walked around and got inside the passenger seat.

"You've been doing a lot of growing up lately son. First Lana and then this, I'm really proud of you." He started the truck as he tucked the flashlight under the seat.

"I'm only doing what you would want me to do."

Jonathon smiled as he pulled back onto the road, the high beams lighting the rode for him. His son was turning into a man, a man he would always be proud of.

-

"So, what do you have to say?" She asked. Andrea worried over his reaction. She told him everything, the surgery, the supercharged heart. The only thing she managed to keep to herself was how she actually knew Clark. She wished desperately that Lex would accept her. She had put it all out in the open, allowing him to hurt her if he rejected her.

He looked at her soft eyes. He could see the anticipation that dwelled within them. Leaning forward, he kissed her and pulled back. "I love you. That does not change"

She felt as if her meteor affected heart might jump out of her chest. Tears fell from her eyes as she returned his kiss. Pulling back, she cupped his face her right hand. "You don't have any concerns that I'm different."

Lex smiled a t her. He rubbed his hand over his bald head. "I have been different since I was a kid. I was affected by the meteor shower too." He quickly told how it had all went down, the scare crow, the corn field and how the meteor blast had swallowed him up.

She looked upon him with newfound passion. He understood her pain, he had endured hardship too. "You don't have any abilities like me?" She asked.

"No, but I do have the uncanny ability to cheat death, if you can call that an ability." He smiled at her. He could feel her melt into his arms.

"Well, now that I'm here, you I can just save you." She snorted a small laugh his way.

Lex chuckled as he brought her closer to him. "I think you're going to have to talk to Clark about that. I think he has the idea that he is my bodyguard."

"He just cares about everyone." She said in Clark's defense.

Lex rolled his eyes. "Plus, I don't need someone looking out for me. I'm a grown man." He said the last few words with dead seriousness.

Andrea pushed him off the theater seats to the ground, right beside a slumbering Chloe and Lana. They each had pillows now, but they were both deeply asleep. She felt herself land on top of Lex as she made her way to the ground with him. "I love you." She whispered, her mouth finding his as they both found themselves drifting off into a world of nothing.

-

Clark stepped out of the truck and followed his dad towards the house. He was glad Lois was drunk. He didn't know if he could have faced her at the present moment. Stepping in the house, he felt his mothers arms wrap around him as if she would never let go. He wiggled out of her grasp as she tried to cling to him. "I'm fine mom." He said a couple of times, finally getting her worry down to a level where she would let go.

"Are you sure?" She asked, still overly concerned. "Do you need to talk about it?"

Clark looked at his mother, he didn't want to leave her out of the loop, but he was incredibly tired. "I'll let dad fill you in, right now, all I'm concerned about is getting some sleep."

"Okay honey." Martha smiled. "The couch is ready, I had to make it to keep myself from worrying." She hugged him again as she followed her husband up the stairs.

Clark took a collective breath and turned off the kitchen lights. His eyes were already half closed as he fell into the couch. He fell asleep in a manner of seconds, a smile coming to his lips as he dreamt about the woman in his bed. There was no way he was going to allow the days events ruin his dreams too.


	22. Chapter 22

Ch. 22

She groaned in absolute agony as she rolled over. The simple act brought an intense amount of pain to her head. There was no way she was going to open her eyes; her head was pounding like a drum. The noise was so loud she stuffed her head in the pillow to drown it out. It didn't work, but she clenched the pillow harder and harder. She slowly opened her right eye, spying to see what time it was. She groaned again as she noticed that it wasn't even four in the morning.

The window was open, the cool night air apply some comfort to her aching body. Rolling onto her back, she removed the pillow from her ears. Resting her head gingerly on the pillow, she tried desperately to fall back to sleep. Her pounding head wouldn't let her do so, and as soon as she moved it, her stomach turned over. She felt a little vomit creep up her throat as she tried desperately to get out of bed. She snaked her leg out of the bed, the cool air biting into her bare foot. As quick as she had put it out, she had it back under the blanket. There was no way she was going to get out of bed, it was too cold.

Fumbling under the blankets, she felt her jeans still on her body. She was fully dressed. Her head began to thump again as she moved her arms around her body to see what else she had on. She let out a miserable groan as she tried to replay the evening's events. There was nothing she could remember; it was nothing but a drunken haze. The vomit in her throat was making a comeback as she almost fell back to sleep. Her eyes popped open as she tried desperately to get out of bed, yet again. Her head almost exploded as she dropped from the bed to the floor, her body sprawled out in an unholy mess of blankets and hair.

She almost screamed out in pain, her head had never hurt this much. Cursing under her breath, she laid there for a few minutes, letting her head calm down before she made anymore movements. Snaking a finger out from under the blanket, she put her arm forward, trying to drag her seemingly incredible weight towards the door. Each pull and push of her body sent pain shooting from her head, down her spine to her legs. She gasped as she lifted her chin to see how far away she was from the doorway. The doorway seemed to pull away from her, the hinges disappearing in a tunnel of nothingness as she struggled forward.

Not knowing how she had done it, and through incredible agony, she finally reached the door. Everything was still dark, but that was a good thing she thought to herself. She reached up to grab the door handle, but she gasped in pain as her head began to swim violently in a torrent of pain and confusion. Her head fell back to the floor, her legs still covered under the blanket. Not only did she have to vomit, she now had the sudden urge urinate. She gave up, her arms hurting and her head beginning to drift off into unconsciousness. She was a woman, yet she was willing to urinate on herself and possibly choke on her vomit. The thought disgusted her, but she was unable to move, her body in too much pain.

Suddenly she was being lifted, her body rising off the floor as she drifted in and out on reality. Her head began to swim again as she felt the air around her slam into her face. There may not have been any wind, but it felt as though a hurricane was crashing into her. The arms let her down onto the floor as she began to spit up a little vomit. The floor was cold and hard, the linoleum caused her to jerk to attention as she felt someone put their hands under arms and grab her hair. She opened her eyes to find her head stuck in the bowl of the toilet. The smell of toilet bowl cleaner caused her to lose all control of her stomach. Vomit flew out of her mouth as she emptied her alcohol swamped intestines. She paused; vomit dripping from her nose as she took a deep breath.

Clark held Lois gingerly as she continued to empty her stomach in the toilet. He wished he could sympathize with her, but he would never know that feeling. It wasn't like he longed for it, but it was one of the simple things that would make him feel more human. He stroked her hair back away from her face again as she shivered. He watched as she draped her arms across the toilet, puking into the toilet with renewed vigor. Smelling the foul stench of her vomit, he reached up and flushed the toilet. He heard the door open behind him; he turned to see his mother standing there.

"Do you need any help?" Martha asked, walking in and bending down to look at Lois.

Clark shook his head and whispered. He might have never been drunk himself, but he knew the people hung-over didn't like loud sounds. "I can handle it. She should be almost done."

Lois let out a few wheezes of air as her stomach tried to empty nothing. Her stomach was empty now, but her brain was still telling it to vomit. She coughed, the pain causing her to almost slip into unconsciousness. She could hear two voices, one louder than another. She was in no state to guess who they were, but she knew one of them was the person holding her.

Martha thought she could hear a third voice. Leaning closer, she listened to what Lois was trying to say. Her eyebrows picked up as she looked back at her son. "You best leave; she has to go to the bathroom."

Clark's eyes shot out in embarrassment as he quickly nodded and left the room. How his mother was going to be able to lift Lois was a mystery to him, but she always found a way to get things done. He waited several minutes outside the door as he hard multiple grunts and groans inside the bathroom. He almost knocked on the door a few times to see if everything was okay, but he convinced himself his mother could handle it. A few more minutes passed by as he rested against the wall. He heard his name suddenly, and opened the door. His mother had Lois standing, but all her weight was on top of her. Clark quickly rushed over to support Lois, letting his mother stand up straight.

"Take her back to bed Clark. She won't be feeling very well when she wakes up, but it's good that she vomited now instead of later, she had a dangerous amount of alcohol in her." Martha opened the door for him a little wider.

He picked up Lois in his arms again, her body feeling weightless in his grasp. He watched his mother disappear into his parent's room as he went out of the bathroom to his own. He let Lois down into his bed. Picking up the blanket off the floor; he gently laid it on top of her. He smiled to himself as she cuddled the comforter blanket to her.

Lois wasn't feeling any better, but when the person who was carrying her put the blanket over top of her, it made her think of Clark, and how he made the cold disappear when he was around. She whispered his name as she smiled to herself. She almost jumped awake when she felt warm air whisper back into her ear. She heard his voice ask "What." She thought she might be hallucinating, but she didn't care, she was to close to sleep to care. "Stay." She whispered to him, not even bothering to open her eyes. Whether or not he did what she asked, she didn't care, she was already asleep.

Clark stood leaning over top of her, his hand resting on her shoulder. He wanted so badly to crawl under the blankets with her, but he didn't want to get caught. Coming to a compromise, he removed his shirt and left his jeans on. He was glad he had decided to get dressed when he heard Lois fall out of bed earlier. He tucked the comforter underneath her so that she would be snug and warm. Pushing her little, he managed to make enough room for himself. He could hear her moan softly as he wiggled her over. Smiling to himself, he lay beside her, his back to hers.

-

Lois mumbled to herself as she felt a ray of sunlight pass her eyelids as she groaned. Her head hurt, but not as bad as it should have. She frowned and opened her eyes. The sun shot her square in the eyes and she closed them in pain. Peeking out of one eye, she noticed the wind was blowing the curtain back and forth by the window, letting the sun hit her every couple of seconds. She closed it as the sun came back to her face. Wanting to get of the sun, she rolled over. Well, she tried to roll over. She was wrapped in the blanket like a pita, her body completely engulfed. Her hands where clutched together at her chest, the warmth of her breath bouncing off the comforter and causing her eyes to water slightly. Instead of feeling incredibly sick, she was feeling hungry. Normally she would have woken up and gone to vomit, but her stomach felt uncharacteristically empty.

She must have vomited earlier she thought, it was only way to explain why she wasn't feeling sick. The pain in her head subsided as she took a few deep breaths. Too many times she thought to herself, too many times she had played the game of booze. It was time she started to take control of her life, not to let herself make stupid decisions. She snorted a laugh, her heading pounding only a little in return. The day wasn't going to be nearly as bad as she thought. She was sure she had drunk enough to seriously incapacitate herself. Smiling, she let her questions wash away as she tried roll over again. This time she put a little more effort into her endeavor.

Something stopped her movement. Thinking she might still be stuck too tightly in the comforter, she pushed out the bottom of it with her feet to give her more leverage. She lunged over again, but this time, she hit an unmovable object. Frowning, she lifted her back up with her feet and spun around inside the comforter. She closed her eyes in pain as her head pounded again. It wasn't getting any worse, and for that she was extremely thankful. Resting the right side of her head on the pillow, she slowly opened her eyes. A well formed, chiseled backside greeted her vision. Smiling to herself, she traced her gaze up his spine to his broad shoulders. She recognized the black hair on his head, and admired him for a few more seconds. Waking up beside Clark was oddly comfortable, even if he wasn't even touching her. Working her arms out of the blanket, she trailed a finger down his spine as he slept peacefully. She scooted closer to him and rested her nose on his back, wrapping her left arm around him in the process. She couldn't see over his massive frame to check what time it was, but she didn't care, she just wanted to hold him. Again, she drifted off to sleep, content.

Clark waited until he could hear her breathing slow as she fell asleep. Carefully, he slid out of her arm and got out of bed. It was already nine and he didn't want his parents to see them. They might have already, but they were back to back, and Lois had been wrapped tightly in the comforter. It was innocent, but if his parents saw him with her arm wrapped around him, they would ask questions. Truth be told, he wanted to tell them about their relationship, but he had promised Lois to keep it a secret as long as possible. Stretching, he yawned and let his arms extend into the air. His earlier notions of breaking up with Lois had been washed away with his fathers words. "You must live in the moment." He whispered to himself as he finished yawning. Grabbing his shirt off of the floor, he put it on.

Closing the door behind him as quietly as he could, he moved down the stairs. His parents were already up, which wasn't un-normal. His dad was likely back in from chores and his mom was probably making breakfast. He hit the bottom step and looked up to see his mom fretting over the eggs on the stove. His dad was sitting at the island with the paper and a cup of coffee.

"Good morning." Jonathon said, looking up from the paper and talking a sip of coffee.

Clark nodded to him and worked his way over to the coffee pot. Pouring himself a mug, he turned around and sat at the island, his mother turning around to greet him good morning.

Martha set a plate in front of him as she smiled. "How are you feeling?" She asked, putting scrambled eggs onto his plate.

"I'm fine." He said rather plainly. He didn't want to talk about what had happened the night before. As far as he was concerned, it was over with.

She frowned at his reply as she turned back around to the stove. Picking up the tray of bacon, she put few slices on his plate, along with some toast. She smiled as Clark gave her his own grin of thanks. "How is Lois?"

Biting furiously into a mouthful of eggs, he stuffed a piece of bacon into his mouth. Clark pushed the mound of food to the back of his mouth with his tongue and swallowed. "She's still sleeping. I don't think she is feeling as bad as she thinks she should be. She was awake for a few seconds." He took a bite of his toast. "All that vomiting earlier is going to let her escape a nasty hangover."

Jonathon looked up from the paper again to stare at his son an unscrupulous look. "Why where you in her bed son?"

Clark shrugged as he put another forkful of eggs in his mouth. "I was too tired to go back downstairs." He mumbled through a mouthful. "Don't worry, she couldn't even move she as so exhausted."

Letting his eyes linger on his son, he looked over to his wife, who was giving him a small smirk. "Okay." He said, letting his gaze fall back down to the paper slowly.

Clark looked up at his mother, who rolled her eyes. Laughing, he took a sip of coffee and finished his food. Getting up, he put his plate in the dishwasher.

Martha handed him another plateful of food as he stood up straight. "What's this?" He asked, puzzled.

"For Lois dear." She almost smacked him on the head for emphasis. "What, you think you'd get another plate for yourself."

Clark grinned sheepishly as he took the plate and grabbed a fork from the drawer. He sprinkled some salt on the eggs; he knew Lois loved just a pinch of salt on them. Grabbing his mug of coffee, he walked back up the stairs to his room. Opening the door, he spared no expense with how loud he was being. She was going to have to wake up anyways. He set the plate down on the bed in front of her chest. He let the aroma of food fill her nostrils as he put his coffee on the desk beside him. Getting to his knees, he kicked the door shut and leaned his forearms on the bed to each side of the plate of food. "Lois?" He said; loud enough so that she could hear him and hopefully loud enough it would wake her.

"Hmm." She moaned; her eyes still closed. Something was missing, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Open your mouth." He said quietly.

Lois obeyed his command and opened her mouth, fully expecting his tongue to enter it. Her eyes popped open as she felt eggs enter instead. She closed her mouth around the fork as he pulled it out, letting the food fall harmlessly onto her tongue. She moaned in pleasure as she tasted the pinch of salt that accompanied it. She almost giggled as Clark continued to feed her with the fork. The simple act was one that made her incredibly happy. He made her feel like a child, but he made her feel special at the same time. Her eyes closed as she continued to rest her head on the pillow as he fed her like a baby. She opened her eyes as he put a piece of bacon in her mouth with his fingers. Lois sucked the grease off the bacon before she chewed it.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, getting up off the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Lois looked up, straining her eyes to see his face as she continued to lie on the bed. "Surprisingly good." She smiled as he plucked off another piece of bacon and put in her mouth. She swallowed and crawled upwards, leaning her back against the headboard. She put her hand to her head as it pounded just a little. "I could swear I should be puking right now. I usually vomit a lot when I drink as much as I did."

Clark took the toast from the plate and held it to her mouth. She took a bite and he put it back on the plate. "You did, just much earlier this morning." He smiled at her as he put another forkful of eggs in her mouth.

She savored the flavor before she swallowed. "I can faintly remember someone carrying me to the bathroom. Thanks." She smirked at him as he handed her his mug. She took a deep and long draught as she closed her eyes in pleasure. Pulling the cup from her lips, she frowned. She looked at him suddenly. "So if you were holding me while I threw up, that means…" She trailed off in embarrassment.

Clark noticed the look in her eyes and the worry in her voice. He instantly recognized what she was referring to. "No." He said, reassuring her. "My mom was there too, she helped you with that."

Lois let out a held in breath as she let his words wash over her. She took another long swallow of coffee, the caffeine perking her up instantly. "I know we've explored that region, but it'd be a little uncomfortable knowing that you-."

Clark cut her off by sticking more bacon in her mouth. "That's not proper breakfast talk." He laughed, sticking yet another piece of bacon in her mouth.

She smiled at him as she chewed. Even though he acted like man with newfound confidence, he was still as squeamish and easily embarrassed as ever. She lifted the mug in one hand and turned towards him, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Don't ever think that I enjoyed a second of it, even if I can't remember any of it."

Clark smiled at her. "I don't think I envy you Lois, I don't imagine ever doing that to myself."

"You've never been drunk?" She asked in surprise. "I know you're a boy scout through and through, but are you telling me that you've never had a lot of alcohol." She sipped the coffee as she smirked behind the mug.

Clark dug the fork into the eggs and took a mouthful himself.

"Hey." She yelled, and slapped his arm playfully.

He smiled at her as he chewed and swallowed. "I've had my share of boozing, but I don't get drunk."

Lois looked at him with a scowl. She brightened up quickly though, looking him up and down. "I guess you're a big boy, I'm sure you can handle your alcohol." Her eyes rested on his pants zipper. She looked up at him seductively.

Clark squirmed as she smirked at him. He put the rest of her eggs in his mouth. He smiled back at her as she frowned at him. "Serves you right." He said, laughing as he pushed the rest of the toast into her mouth.

She groaned and looked at him with a friendly scowl. Finishing the coffee, she got up out of bed and stretched. Her head was only hurting a little as she rubbed her left shoulder with her right hand. "I can't even remember what happened last night."

Clark put the plate on the desk beside the bed and walked over to take the cup from her. "I wonder how much you want to remember, I haven't seen anyone so sick in my life." He took the cup from her and scooped her up in one arm, grabbing her around the waste as she laughed in surprise.

Lois giggled. She was always surprised at how strong he was. She hopped out of his grasp and put her hair back into a ponytail. "I need a shower." She walked to the door, stopped and looked back at him. "Care to join me?" She asked, her trademark smirk planted firmly on her face.

Clark faltered a step as he heard her. "My parents are downstairs."

Lois just laughed at him. "You're still a boy scout aren't you Smallville?" She disappeared from the doorway as she saw him smile back.

-

Chloe lifted her head as she moaned in pain. She put a hand to her head as she looked up at a grinning Lex Luthor

"Coffee?" He asked, handing her a mug of steaming caffeine.

She reached out and took it. Letting Lex help her to her feet, she took a little sip. The coffee instantly perked her up, causing the pain to subside a fraction. "My lord, how much did I drink?" She said, aimlessly. "I feel as if I've been run over by a truck."

"Not very much." Andrea said, walking up to them from the back of the theater. The lights were still off as she handled her own coffee mug. "You two didn't drink much, you just drank really quickly." She laughed at Chloe. "I don't think I've ever seen such a pair of giddy drunks."

Chloe shot her a frown and took another swallow. "I've been told that I'm a fun drunk, but I wasn't too sure." Her mood darkened as she looked around. Lana was still sleeping on the floor and Andrea was there. "Where's Lois?" She asked, concerned.

"Back at the Kent farm, she didn't want to fall asleep here, so I drove her back late last night." Andrea shrugged and leaned up against Lex. "I told him Chloe."

Chloe looked from Lex to Andrea, her eyes widening as she realized what the black haired woman just said. "You did?" She smiled as she saw Andrea nod. "That's great. By the looks of it, he took it rather well." She grinned at them, but her head began to pound and she let her cheeks fall. "Ouch." She said, putting her hand to her head again.

Lex took her by the arm and steered her out of the theater and into the main room. Finding a table, he guided her into a chair.

Chloe sighed in comfort as she felt her stomach settle down. She looked up to see both Lex and Andrea staring down at her.

"Are you going to be okay?" Andrea asked.

Putting a hand to her stomach, Chloe let out a deep breath. "I think so, the coffee should bring me back to reality, but my stomach won't feel any better until I get something in it." She paused for second, her stomach turning a little. "What about Lana?"

Lex got a look of surprise from Andrea. "I guess I better go wake her up too." He kissed her and went back into the theater.

Chloe watched as Andrea sat down across from her, smiling until the cows came home. "I take it everything is working out well?" She smiled at her friend.

Andrea rubbed the back of her neck, a little embarrassed. "It is." She wasn't going to tell her about what they had done right in front of them in the theater. They were luckily neither Chloe nor Lana had woken up, or it would have gotten very awkward.

"How much did Lois drink?" Chloe asked, worried for her cousin. She got even more worried as she saw Andrea's face cloud over in a look of fear.

"Lois drank a lot, and I mean a lot. She was completely wasted when I brought her home." She tried to find the right words as she contemplated telling Chloe what exactly had happened. "I let Clark take her up to her room. I'm sure she is fine."

Chloe could see the apprehension that was on the woman's face. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

Andrea knew Clark trusted Chloe more than anyone with his secret. Looking behind her shoulder to see that Lex wasn't there, she told Chloe what had happened.

She sat there taking it all in. Not many things about Clark surprised her anymore, but this was bigger than anything she had ever heard before. "He killed her?" She asked, almost failing to get the words out.

Andrea nodded, her eyes welling with tears. "You can't even imagine how horrifying it was to watch a woman die right in front of you." She stopped herself as she saw tears fall from the blond woman's eyes. "Now he's disappeared, but hopefully Mr. Kent has found him."

Chloe sat there shook to her core. Never in a million years could she have thought Clark was capable of murder. He was her friend, but now she didn't know what he was anymore. "He actually killed her?" She asked again, despair driving her to hear it again, just to be sure.

"Well, not directly. It was her fault really, she shouldn't have touched him."

Chloe's mood lightened up a little at that comment. "I just hope he doesn't go and do anything stupid." Her worry was overcoming her hangover as she began to wonder where Clark may have taken off to. "Lex is right. Clark will be found when he wants to be found. Until then, we can only hope that he hasn't done anything he will regret."

Andrea rubbed her face in worry. She had been so consumed with Lex, she had completely forgotten about Clark. She stared back at Chloe. "The look on his face made me so sad, it looked as if he just wanted to dig himself a hole and hide away for the rest of his life."

Pulling out her cell phone, Chloe dialed the Kent's number. "Hi Mrs. Kent….Yes, that's why I was calling…oh." Relief washed over her as she heard the words she desperately wanted to here. "Bye." She flipped her phone closed and took a deep sigh.

"Anything?" Andrea asked, a little perplexed by Chloe's reaction to the phone call.

Chloe brightened up considerably as she finished her coffee. "Mr. Kent found him last night. Clark is just fine."

"And you believe that?" Andrea asked, relieved that he was okay, but concerned that he was probably an emotional wreck.

Shrugging, Chloe looked over at Andrea with a frown. "I guess I do, but I'm going to take it with a grain of salt. He usually takes these things real hard."

Both their attentions turned back to the theater entrance as Lex came wandering through the doors with Lana in his arms. "Someone doesn't feel like walking. I'm tired of having to pick up all the garbage around here." He winked at the two of them as he dropped Lana into a chair at the table.

"Clark is okay. Mr. Kent found him." Andrea smiled up at the man she loved.

Lex grinned. "That's great."

Lana let her head hang to one side as she tried to focus her attention to those around her. "What happened?" She asked, clutching her temples with her fingers.


	23. Chapter 23

Ch. 23

Clark laid down on the bed, his body stretching out across the mattress. Of all the things that had happened, one thing hadn't changed. His feelings for the loud, but beautiful house guest were still a strong as they had been the day before. The simple fact that she shared those same feelings made all their earlier transgressions fade away into nothingness. Closing his eyes, he pictured those supple lips pushing their way onto his. He smiled to himself as he rolled over on the bed, closing his eyes to catch a few more winks that he desperately needed. He tried to fall asleep, but his mind suddenly came to realize what he had almost forgotten. He had a date later on, and it wasn't with the woman he wanted to be with. Groaning over and over, he fell asleep.

Lois stood in the shower, her hands draped over the shower head as she leaned her weight on it. She didn't know if it would hold her, but it was comfortable, and the hot water running off her head and down her back made her moan in pleasure. Lifting her head, she closed her eyes and let the water hit her face full on. She opened her mouth to let the water enter. The pressure of the water filled her mouth up in seconds as she continued to let it flow in and out. It felt oddly familiar to the way Clark put his tongue in her mouth while they were enjoying each other's company the day before. She let out a small cry of ecstasy as she replayed every little detail over and over again.

Clark could swear he was hearing Lois moan and let out cries of pleasure. He flustered as she continued to make sultry noises in the shower. Ripping his attention away from her, he noticed that he was invading her privacy. He tried to forget about it, but his mind kept dragging his ears back to her in the shower. His attention was suddenly ripped away as he heard his father yelling at him from the kitchen. Groaning, he slipped off the bed worked his way to his feet. He walked through the door and to the top of the stairs and put his hand on the banister. "Yes?" He asked, leaning on the banister a little more heavily than he should have. He felt it begin to crack, so he removed his weight from it as quickly as it could.

Jonathon looked up at son who stood at the top of the stairs. "Your mother and I are heading into town. We have some errands to run. We should be back in about an hour or so."

Clark just nodded, too tired to speak. He really needed some more winks. He watched his dad open the door and walk out. Still standing at the top of the stairs, he listened to the truck pull out of the laneway. His attention changed as he his hearing began to fall back to Lois in the shower.

A cry erupted from her mouth again as she still hung from the shower head, but only with one hand. Her other hand was plunged deep inside her, playing with herself as she kept her eyes closed. The name Clark escaped her lips numerous times as she slowly pushed her index finger in and out. Her back stiffened as she added another finger. Just the thought of him touching her there was driving her up the wall. She let out a loud moan of pleasure, much too loud she realized, as she plunged her fingers in deeper than she had previously. Her body shivered and contorted as her orgasm was reached in record time. She could feel her juices stream down her leg with the water that was cascading down her body. It moved slowly down her leg, finally washing away down the drain as her body tingled from head to toe. Lifting her hand up, she placed it under the water coming from the shower head, letting it rinse her hand clean.

Clark put his hand on the door knob, but hesitated suddenly as he realized what he was about to do. He considered it for a second, maybe she would want him there, or maybe she wouldn't. The decision was weighing heavily on him; he couldn't make up his mind. A few seconds passed before he did make up his mind. Well, he didn't really make up his mind by himself, her continuous moans and the throbbing mass in his jeans did. Opening the door slowly, he used his one free hand to remove the shirt that was clinging to his body. In one smooth motion, he let the shirt fall to the floor and he closed the door silently behind him. When he wanted to, he could be deathly quiet.

Removing his jeans, he pulled his boxers down along with them. He rose to attention as he watched her shadow stand still in the tub. The only thing between him and her was the curtain, and that was the only thing he could think of, sliding that curtain aside and stepping in there with her. Realizing that he was dreaming about it, he shook himself and walked closer to the tub. His erection became even harder as he watched the shadow begin to rub its breasts. He struggled to keep his x-ray vision at bay as he put a hand towards the shower curtain. Sliding it back, he gazed at her firm body as she continued to moan his name. As quietly as he could, he stepped into the tub behind her, pushing the curtain back to its original position.

She thought she heard something enter the bathroom, but she disregarded the feeling as she quickly put her fingers back inside herself. She had climaxed once, and she knew she could do it again. Her eyes were still closed as she began to rub herself. She let out a loud gasp as she felt a warm hand from behind begin to rub both her clit and her hand at the same time. The initial shock disappeared as she felt her hand tremble at its presence. She was going to turn around, but she knew it was him. There was no one else that could make tingle and shake like that. Her eyes shot open as she felt his hand put more pressure into each rub back and forth. She rose up on her toes, her back arching as he continued to rub her faster and faster. Something poked her in the back. New sensations ran from that spot up her spine to her neck. She knew what it was, and she knew it was hers for the taking.

Clark smiled to himself, watching her arch upwards as rubbed her harder and harder. He felt his erection stab her in the back softly as he got closer to her, slipping a finger inside suddenly. He felt her come down onto his finger, causing his knees to buckle. Steeling himself, he gently moved his finger in and out, letting the sensation linger for as long as possible. Softly, he let his erection bend up onto her back as he brought his lips to her neck.

The touch of his lips caused all the strength in her legs to give way. She would have fallen down, but his strong hand held her up as she felt him wiggling his finger inside her. She let out a loud scream that she had been holding in, thinking that his parents might still be in the house. That concern washed away when she felt him move his finger around in circular motions inside of her. Another scream of pleasure escaped her lips as he slipped another finger inside her, moving faster and faster. Her body tingled all over as she felt his mass rubbing up against her back. Shaking, she wrenched her own hand from below and moved it behind her back to grab it. Her fingers touched it as she tried to keep steady while he began to furiously jam his fingers up into her over and over.

He felt her fingers fall away as he quickened his hand. He could smell the dampness of her hair as he leaned in even closer to nip on her ear. It brought another cry from her as he let out a moan himself. Faster and faster he moved, his hand going at super speed. There was no holding back, he knew he couldn't stop. He almost came as he felt her tighten around his fingers.

She trembled in delight as his fingers went in and out faster than she could have thought possible. Each in and out brought so much pleasure that she almost fainted. Her body began to shake uncontrollably she felt herself climax again, releasing herself on his hand. She collapsed into his arms as all her strength vanished from her body. Her nipples hardened as she felt her body squish up against his erection. At its slightest touch, her strength came back. With that renewed strength, she turned around to face him. Staring into his eyes, she could see the hunger that was consuming him. She put her hands on his chest and lifted herself up on her toes to kiss him. The water falling on them provided one of the most surreal moments she had ever experienced.

Clark closed his eyes as she brought her lips to his. He dove head long into her mouth, letting his tongue grope every inch of it. For more than a minute they exchanged saliva as they began run their hands all over each other. He moaned into her mouth as she did the same. His eyes stayed open, staring right at her lovely face. Her eyes were closed, but he didn't care, he could feel her passion just by her touch. Sadness crept up on him as she pulled away, looking up at him with lust. Removing his hand from behind her head, he put it on her left breast. The sounds that came out of her mouth made him harder. Suddenly, he felt her hand on his mass, sending a chill up his spine. "It's yours." He whispered to her, just before he kissed her again.

Those were the exact words she wanted to hear. Dancing her fingers along his shaft, she trailed her left hand down his chest as she began to lower herself to her knees. The water continued to rain down upon her as she settled her free hand on his erection. With both hands, she rubbed it back and forth, her fingers squeezing periodically. She looked up to see the incredible look of ecstasy that erupted on his face. Smiling to herself, she gripped it at the base with one hand, letting the veins bulge as she stroked him with the other. It was throbbing larger and larger as she squeezed tighter. She thought he might lose it right there, the look on his face almost causing her to open her mouth to catch it. When she noticed he didn't spend himself, she parted her lips and put her mouth to him.

He almost lost it. Struggling mightily, he forced himself to keep it in. When her mouth first touched the tip of him, he thought he had died and went to heaven. The vacuum she created with her mouth caused him shake and wobble on his feet. He groaned as she lightened the grip on the base of him, eventually letting go. Closing his eyes, he felt her part her lips farther as she took more of him in her mouth. He opened eyes to watch her begin to move her mouth back and forth, taking him in even more each time she moved forward.

She let her hands clench his hips as she moved her mouth on him over and over. Each time she got to the tip while pulling back, she would give him a hard suck, causing his body to shudder in her grasp. Letting her teeth bite into him a little, she dug her nails into his hips. He didn't seem to notice, so she just moved on him faster. She congratulated herself mentally at how stuffing such large amounts of food in her mouth her whole life was paying off at that moment. Usually any woman would have thrown up when such a large object hit the back of their throat, but she held it down. She could feel him throbbing in her mouth as she tickled his abdomen with her fingers. After a few minutes of continuous sucking, she slowly pulled back.

He frowned down at her as she pulled away. He watched her put her hands on her knees as she looked up at him. Why was she stopping? He asked himself. When she had been caressing him with her mouth, she had been staring up at his face the whole time. It had been the most incredible sexy things he had ever seen. The look in her eyes had been one on pure desire. He was about to speak, but he stopped as she tugged on his hand. Understanding what she meant, he slowly got down onto his knees it front of her. They knelt, their knees touching as they leaned in to divulge in the pleasure of locking their lips together once again.

Lois bit his top lip as she felt his hands caress her breasts. She didn't think her nipples could get any harder, but they did. A cry escaped her throat as she felt his mouth cover her left breast. Her nipple was hard enough it to cut glass, but he was able to lick it until it warmed up and softened. She wrapped her hands around his neck, bringing his face up to hers. Kissing him again, she began to push him back as the steam from the hot water began to fill the shower. She could've sworn the steam was coming of them. She was so hot and flustered. Her shins came off of the tub, only her knees and toes were touching the porcelain as she pushed him far enough that he slipped in the water.

Clark's legs slipped from under him, each foot shooting out towards Lois. He crashed his back onto the tub floor as she landed on him. Her lips left his momentarily as he moved his legs out straight. They had been at an almost impossible angle. The tub was just long enough he could lay in it without having to bend his knees. With a wicked grin, he pulled her onto him, her body completely disengaging from the tub. He smiled wider as she giggled at him man handling her. He began kissing her again as she lay naked on top of him.

She kissed him for what seemed like an eternity. It was so intoxicating that she had almost completely forgotten about what was happening below the equator. She felt his erection pushing up against her clit as she continued to devour his mouth. Feeling bad about taking her mouth from him earlier, she decided to make it up to him. With one smooth motion, she ran a hand below to grab a hold. Guiding it, she firmly stuck it into her. A small moan escaped his lips as she let out one in reply. She lay on top of him for a moment, just allowing her walls to clench to him. With her mouth still on his and her breasts lying on his chest, she picked up her hips and let them fall back down heavily. The feeling she got as it slid in her was unlike what she had felt earlier the day before. Not knowing if it was because of the hot water, or just the steam, she continued on.

Clark stared at her with burning eyes. He grinned in pleasure as she lifted up and took him again. Faster and faster she moved, never once leaving his lips as they stared into one another's eyes. He knew that her lower back must have been hurting as she was rising only her hips while laying down on him, so, he rolled them over onto their sides.

She marveled at what his eyes were doing. They seemed to be glowing with fire. She was going to say something, but he quickly turned her onto her side. She let out a muffled cry and kissed him with all the hunger she had. She felt him move her leg on top of his as he positioned himself, slowly pumping into her. The loud scream that came from her lungs washed over them as the tub began to rattle as he rammed into her harder and harder. She felt her mind melt into butter as she lost herself in each pump. Her walls clenched to him so hard she thought she might break him.

Clark wrapped his arms around her as he continued to drive himself into her with all his might. He was afraid that he might hurt her, but the screams that were emanating from her mouth told him he couldn't stop. He watched as she closed her eyes, her nose hitting his own repeatedly as he hit her with each thrust.

The faster he went, the louder she screamed. Her very insides were coming undone as he continued to drive into her with unrelenting force. She managed to open her eyes; she was struggling with all her might to keep them open. Staring right into the glowing eyes of Clark, she began to scream his name so loud she hurt her own ears. Her throat was beginning to get sore as she felt him kiss her again, never slowing down his thrusting. Their faces bounced together over and over again, each thrust making the tub screech on the floor. She could feel herself ready to climax; her walls were trembling as he slid back and forth inside of her. Suddenly, she felt herself explode violently, her back slamming up against the tub wall. She came all over him as he continued to thrust. Another orgasm came hurtling into her as she slammed back against the tub again, her head swimming in euphoria.

He could feel her body convulsing, her back slamming up against the side of the tub. He knew she was spent, but he wasn't quite done. He didn't want to be selfish, and he didn't know how much more she could take, but still, he continued on. Quicker than he thought he could, he let himself go, his eyes bulging and his muscles contorting in strain. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as he watched her mouth open in surprise.

They lingered together, the water falling onto them as she felt his seed seeping out of her. He was still inside of her, and she knew that even though his erection was disappearing, she couldn't have felt any happier. She closed her eyes as she allowed a tear to run down into the tub. Her emotions ran wild as she giggled, unable to control them. Her walls finally unclenched as she felt his erection disappear completely. She felt it slide out of her and drop onto her leg. She continued to seep, the warm juices of both of them running down her leg and into the water. Her head fell down to the bottom of the tub, her ear creating suction in the water. Opening her eyes again, she looked into the blue-green irises of the man that had just made her scream like no other had.

Clark stared into her eyes; the lust that was previously there had been replaced by a simple twinkle that glimmered as the water rippled below them. "Are you okay?" He asked; his worry that he might have hurt her coming to the forefront.

She smiled at him and gave him a kiss. Pulling away, she smirked. "What do you think?"

The look on her face made him chuckle. "I guess I have to stop asking that. You're a much stronger woman than I'm used to being around."

"Don't you ever forget that." She said, patting his cheek for emphasis. She kept the hand on his face as she leaned and tasted his lips again. She licked his lips as she pulled away, her tongue tracing the outline of his mouth. Spitting out water that had gathered in her mouth, she directed at him.

Clark closed his eyes as the water came crashing into him without much speed. Opening only one eye, he scowled at her playfully. The water that was coming down out of the shower head was getting colder by the second. He wasn't affected by it, but it was obvious Lois was. He could feel her shivering in his arms as he gathered her closer to him.

Shivering like a newborn kitten, she snuggled into him for warmth. She had no idea how he was able to stay so warm, but it didn't matter to her, she just wanted him close to her. Her knee rubbed up against his crotch and she felt him get hard again. "Again?" She asked, her eyes going wide in surprise.

"Only if you want." He replied, unsure if he really could take another round. The look in her eyes convinced him he could, and he knew that she really wanted it again. Smiling to himself, he removed his arms from around her and turned her onto her back as he positioned himself on top of her. "Are you ready?" He asked, not realizing why he said it.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. Gasping, she arched her back in surprise as he slammed inside her. The sudden surge of emotion caused her eyes to water as she felt him begin to move back and forth. She hadn't been sure if he could take her again, but she had obviously been wrong. Now she was wondering if there was anyway she was going to be able to last.

Resting his forearms beside each side of her, he drove into her with renewed vigor. The heat of the moment caused him to jerk back and forth more rapidly as the water landed on his back in a cold torrent of pressure.

Lois shook just a little, her body still not comfortable with the temperature of the water. Surprisingly, the water that seemed to flow off of Clark was warm. He was really an amazing man, she thought to herself, just as he started picking up the pace. She put a hand to her forehead, turning her face to the side, trying anything to make the exhilaration she was feeling last. She could feel her body slide on the tub, the water aiding it each time he pushed into her. How long he would last, she wasn't sure, but she could feel all her energy disappearing as he continued to drive into her. "Stop." She said suddenly.

Clark pulled out of her instantly, his voice full of concern and worry. "What, what's wrong?" He lifted himself to see what he had done to her.

"Nothing." She said, frowning. "I told you, you can't hurt me."

He frowned back at her, his eyes twitching. "I'm capable of a lot of things Lois."

"I can see that." She trailed her hand down his cheek with care. "You didn't hurt me. I'm fine."

"Then what is it?" His erection had completely disappeared. There was no way he was going to be able to go again.

"I couldn't do it again, I'm just too exhausted." She closed her eyes and sighed. Feeling as if she had hurt his feelings, she pulled him down so that his nose touched hers. "Don't even begin to think this is your fault. I just had a long night."

Clark nodded his head, his nose rubbing on hers. He heard her laugh as he continued to rub her nose with his. Pressing his lips down on to her again, he lifted his head up and stared deep into her eyes. "I was worried I had disappointed you." He said finally, not sure what else to say.

"You don't give yourself enough credit Smallville. I've never experienced anything like that before. It was one of the most incredible moments of my life." She smirked at him and his sloppy grin. "Now, please turn off the water. I am freezing." She lied, she wasn't really freezing. Clark's body was keeping her more than warm; she was just getting a little too wrinkled for her own taste.

Clark looked at her, not taking his gaze of her as he reached back and turned off the water. He admired her breasts as she scooted out from under him and leaned up against the back of the tub. He did the same thing, but at the front of the tub, making sure not to hit his head on the faucet fixtures.

They sat there, separated from each other, save their legs. Each of them were naked, both of them could care less as they just stared at one another. Lois wasn't really sure what they were doing, but all of a sudden she realized her nakedness. Collecting her thoughts, she brought her knees up to her chin. The tub was still wet, and she started sliding backwards as her butt slid forward. She almost let out a little whimper, but Clark's feet stopped her progress. Her toes were pushing up against his heels as she used him for support. She extended her feet forward some more, making sure she wouldn't slip again as she readjusted her sitting position. She looked up at him; a blank expression was clearly showing on his face. "What?" She asked.

Clark sat there, his legs still spread out and his entire glory showing. "A little bashful now are we?" He chuckled at her while he watched her turn red.

"Well, no, yes, well-."

Clark smiled at her. He was getting her back for all those times she had made him uncomfortable. He watched her turn a deeper shade of red, causing him to roll his eyes and reach out of the tub grab a towel that was lying on the floor. Tossing it to her, he grinned again, this time it was sloppier and goofier. "I thought I'd be the one who was ashamed. Honestly Lois, if you can't be comfortable around me…" He let his sentence drop away in an open ended threat.

She would have taken him seriously, but the silly look on his face told her that he was only joking. Kicking her foot out, she stabbed his heel with her big toe. "I'm just making sure that if your parents walk in, I'm not the one who is naked."

Clark snorted a laugh. "They're not here. They went into town."

"Good, I was worried they might come barging in after hearing all that." She grinned at him evilly as she used the towel to dry her hair. "Wouldn't that just be peachy? I couldn't imagine what they'd say If they caught us." She finished getting all the water out of her hair as she continued to grin at him. He was still sitting there naked she reminded herself. Just the sight of him was making feel as if she might actually be able to go again. Shaking her head, she tore her gaze away from him. Draping the towel around herself, she leaned back against the tub again. "Lose the grin." She said, poking her toe into his heel again.

Clark didn't drop it however, he was going to tease her some more. "You want me." He stated, his eyes glowing in mirth.

"Aren't you full of yourself?" She snorted at him. Either he was playing with her, or he was being serious. It didn't matter to her though; she couldn't rip her eyes from his body. She looked back up at him as she realized she had been staring again.

"I don't have to be full of myself when you're looking at me like that Lois." He lowered his voice just a bit as he smiled at her, his eyes showing more seriousness to them. "It's yours anytime you want."

Her cheeks spread wide as she showed a toothy grin. "I'll remember that." She made a mental note of it. She was going to make him regret that remark, and she already knew how she was going to take advantage of that. "I'm going to make sure you regret saying that."

Clark eyed her breasts; her nipples were barely hidden below the towel. "I don't think I could ever regret that."

"Trust me, you will." She lost her grin slowly as her eyes began to drift below his neckline again. "Put a towel down there will you?"

He didn't even bother taking her advice. Instead, he brought his knees up and rested his arms across them. His glory was still clearly visible. "Better?" He asked, winking.

"No." She replied, looking away.

Clark sighed and got up out of the tub. "We just had sex, and you're ashamed to look at me already. Do you think I should shave down there or something?" He stood with his arms crossed.

Lois burst out into laughter, her towel falling below her breasts as she almost slid forward in the tub. Regaining her composure, she stood up, holding the towel up to cover her breasts again. She didn't know how to even begin to answer that question. Smirking, she looked at him wrap a towel around his waist.

Clark rolled his eyes again, a nasty habit that he had picked up from Lois. He walked over to the tub and grabbed her by the waist. He hoisted her in a half bear hug as he heard her let out a cry of surprise. He didn't even bother to set her down, he just held her so that she was the same height as he was.

She giggled like a little girl as he picked her up without and considerably effort. He brought his lips crashing onto hers as he led her in his arms. She had to push herself away to catch her breath, the towel covering her breasts falling down to expose them once again. "Someone must not want me staying covered; I can't seem to keep these things hidden." She smirked at him as she still hovered almost six inches above the ground in his grasp. A cry of pain and pleasure erupted from her throat as she felt him nibble on her left nipple. "Smallville." She said, whacking him on the shoulder. "Come on, foreplay ended the second you stuck your fingers in me."

Clark let her down and whimpered like a scolded dog. "Are you denying me even the slightest pleasures?" His whimper turned into a large grin as he lifted the towel around her to cover her breasts again.

Looking up at him seductively, she tapped her index finger on his chin. "Yes I am. No touching for twenty-four hours. Besides, you have a date that you need to recuperate for. You might be getting lucky twice today." She winked and smirked at him as she left the bathroom in a rush.

His jaw dropped to the floor. He definitely wasn't expecting that. She was only playing around, but he wasn't prepared for such a comment. Regaining his senses, he followed after her. Opening the bathroom door, he worked his way to his room. He opened the door to catch Lois naked, putting on a pair of black panties.

"Hey!" She yelled. "Get out, I'm changing." She stared at him as he just stood their staring. "Get out!" She yelled at him again. There really wasn't any tone of anger in her voice, she was just being loud.

Clark just ignored her walked to the dresser. Opening a drawer, he fished out a pair of boxers. Letting his towel fall away, he slipped them on. He could feel Lois's eyes staring right at his behind. "Lois, take a picture. It certainly lasts longer." Turning around, he grinned. She had finally gotten her breasts permanently covered with a very perky black push up bra. "Good to see that you keep those two things covered up." He pointed at her breasts with two fingers. He smiled at her even wider as he saw her blush. Pushing her a little farther, he grabbed a pair of jeans and slipped them on. "I don't think I'll wear any underpants to the dance tonight. That way I'll just have one less item to remove."

Her blush disappeared as she scowled at him. "You so much as touch her inappropriately, and I'll have you manhood ripped off for spite." She was being deadly serious. His grin disappeared when she didn't grin back.

Clark groaned. He knew that she wasn't really okay with it, but as usual she had put up a wall around her emotions. It was rare to see a crack in that armor. He slipped on a plaid shirt and walked up to her. Grabbing her shoulders and giving her a kiss, his flashed his famous smile. "Don't worry; I believe I told you it was yours already." He winked at her. The smile on his face became wider as he saw her pick up the corners of her mouth. "Say the word and I'll cancel the date."

Lois shook her head and pulled away. "No, we can't raise any suspicion." She searched for her red tank top. Finding it, she slipped it on over her head. "I know that it was my idea to keep us a secret, and I can't expect you not to explore other options-"

Clark cut her off with a finger to her mouth. "Lois, don't worry. I wouldn't do anything to screw this up. We are just starting, and yes it's scary, but what may come out of it is far more meaningful than ruining it with another woman." His eyes hinted at nothing but seriousness. "You know me Lois; would I hurt you like that?"

She sniffled, fighting back a tear. "No, you wouldn't, that's why I'm so frightened though. I really want this to work. It's the first time I've really put myself out there in a relationship." Her mood brightened suddenly. "Even if it has only been a day."

He could see that she was masking her fears again with humor. "Lois, it's me. You don't have to hide your feelings; I will not criticize you for being honest." He wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I know that you're scared. We've decided to try a relationship and you and I both know how risky it is. If it doesn't work out and we end up hating one another, it will be hard to move on. Our friendship has come a long way in the past couple of months, and we're both scared that we might lose that."

She let some more tears drop as she wrapped her arms around him. She felt him rest his chin on her head. "I've never been this scared in my life." She confessed, letting her barriers down.

"Me too." He whispered back to her.

Pulling away from his grasp, she wiped her eyes dry. She smiled suddenly as she looked him up and down. "If we're going to go shopping, I think you better wear just a t-shirt instead of that flannel."

Clark groaned. "You're still planning on dragging me shopping?" He asked, removing his shirt.

"Yes, and we're going to Metropolis to do it. Smallville's mall doesn't have the stores I need. So, you're going to have to dress a little nicer."

"I thought we were going to find something for me to where for tonight. We can easily do that here." He turned around picked a black t-shirt out of the dresser.

"Well yes, I need to help you find something, but I can't help but browse too. What kind of woman would I be if I didn't take the time to shop for myself?" She grinned at him as she reached for a fresh pair of jeans.

He grabbed her hand before her fingers touched the denim. "If I agree to go shopping In Metropolis with you, you're going to have to wear something besides jeans."

"Why?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Clark shrugged. "Seems only fair, I do something you want, you do something I want."

She tapped her foot on the floor and frowned at him. "Okay, I'll do as you ask, but I don't even know if I have anything other than jeans." Opening another drawer, she searched for something else to wear. "I really haven't noticed this until now, but we really dress very similar." She looked up at him, still bent over and rummaging through the drawer.

"How so?"

She focused her attention back on the task at hand. "We both wear the same thing practically everyday, you in jeans and a t-shirt, me in jeans and a tank top."

Clark nodded his head, he couldn't argue with her. "I change my boxer's everyday though, that has to count for something?"

She shrugged and pulled out a faded blue denim skirt. It wasn't very flashy, just rather short. It did have a wide black fashionable belt that went along with it. She groaned, noticing it was the only thing she had. "I'm going to have to wear a different top." Hurrying up, she tossed the skirt on the bed and rummaged for a new top. Slightly satisfied, she held up a spaghetti strap shirt. It was yellow, tight fitting number she hadn't worn in a while, probably because the bust was really low. Sighing to no one in particular, she told Clark to turn around.

Clark did as he as told.

Lois took off her tank and her bra. She had no choice but to wear a strapless bra. "No peeking." She said, slipping on another bra and the top. It was little too low cut on the bust for her taste, but she put it on anyways. At least it covered her naval she thought to herself. The skirt went on next. She felt almost sluttish as she tightened the belt. Good thing she wasn't wearing all black she thought to herself. "Okay, you can turn around now." She said.

Clark spun around to see how she looked. His mouth fell open as he looked her up and down. "Wow." It was the only words he could get out.

She smiled as she saw the look on his face. Standing up to the mirror, she turned around, pulling at the hem of the skirt. It wasn't a short as she thought it was, but if she bent right over, someone would clearly be able to see her rear end. Turning back around to him, she gave him a questioning glance. "Why in the world do you want me to wear this?"

Clark grinned at her. "You have great legs Lois; you should show them off more often."

"So you're a leg man huh Smalliville?"

"Among other things." He said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and wandered over to the closet. Picking out a pair of high heel beige sandals, she put them on. Again she wandered over to the mirror, admiring the way her rear stuck out nicely as the higher heels made her arch a little. "I still feel a little underdressed though." She wasn't too happy with the top. It was a little too revealing.

"Don't you have a one of those small, but tight jean coats down stairs?" He winked at her again.

"I do. You know what; it would go perfect with this. Wow Smallville, I didn't think you'd be able to help with my dressing me." She smiled at him. Before he could respond, she brushed passed him, taking his hand and leading him downstairs. "I want to get a head start before the malls get packed." Finding the coat, she slipped it on. It was tight like Clark said, but it went perfect with her skirt. "Okay, let's go." She said, heading for the front door.

"Uh, Lois."

"Hmm?" She stopped and looked at him.

"We need a car." Clark gave her a helpless smile.

Lois slapped her forehead. "Damn." She said, remembering she didn't drive herself home. "Well, I guess I better call Chloe and see if she knows where it is."

Clark scoffed at her. "Andrea drove it back to the Talon last night."

"Good." Lois picked the phone out of her purse on the counter and dialed. She tapped her foot, waiting for her cousin to answer. Looking over at Clark, she frowned at him. "Stop looking at me like that Smallville."

Clark just grinned at her.


	24. Chapter 24

Ch. 24

Chloe picked up her phone. She was about to say hello when she heard Lois's voice.

"_Stop looking at me like that Smallville." _

"Lois, Lois, is that you?" Chloe said into her side of the phone. She couldn't hear Lois say anything back so she yelled into it. "Lois!"

"_Yeah, I'm here...Clark stop that, I'm trying to talk here." _

"Are you okay?" She asked her cousin. She frowned as she heard Lois giggling. When she didn't respond, spoke louder again. "Lois, are you still drunk?" The giggling on the other side of the phone continued.

"_No cuz, I'm not dru-…I mean it Smallville, come on." _

Chloe had no idea what was going on, but all she could hear was a laughing Lois lane. She hung her head to the side as she continued to listen to her squeal and giggle. Chloe's eyes shot up, Lois never giggled. "Lois, Lois! What's going on?" She demanded.

"_Smallville please…oh god, please stop…no don't do that…Clark." _

Good thing she was alone inside the theater when she let out a deafening yell. She screamed Lois's name for the last time. If her cousin wasn't going to answer her, she was going to hang up.

"_Yeah?" _

Chloe sighed as she listened to Lois calm down, her voice wheezing over the phone. Shaking her head, she waited until Lois was calmed down enough to talk. "What In the world was Clark doing to you?" She asked.

"_He was sticking food up his nose." _

Chloe didn't know whether or not to believe her, but she wasn't worried about it. Clark's voice was audible in the background of the phone; she just shook her head, rolling her eyes "You called?" She asked Lois.

"_Yeah, I need my car. Do you think you could get it here? Please?" _

"Okay, I'll get Andrea to drive it back over and I'll pick her up. See you in a bit."

"_Thanks cuz." _

"Lois?"

"_Yes?" _

Chloe lowered her voice a little. "Are you feeling okay?" She asked.

"_Just peachy Chloe…Bye." _

"Bye." Chloe said softly, letting the word role off her tongue as she flipped her cell phone shut. What in the world had gotten into Lois, she wondered to herself.

-

Lois dropped the phone back into her purse and looked back at Clark, her eyes wild with revenge. "I'm going to get you for that."

"For what?" Clark grinned at her, the mischievous smile disappearing as she walked towards him.

"For tickling me while I was talking to Chloe. She probably thinks I'm on drugs or something." She got closer and closer, her bare mid-thighs bouncing up against his knees.

"Are you on drugs?" He asked her, his eyes glinting with humor and his voice rising in tone.

She wrinkled her nose at him, one corner of her mouth picking up as she flashed him her trademark smirk. "Only you." She didn't give him time to respond as she kissed him. Her heeled sandals brought her lips to about his chin, so she just had to stretch upwards a little to meet his lips.

He felt her pull away, his body and face following after her. He opened his eyes to see her looking right at him. "No fair. I didn't get a rebuttal."

"Well, what would you have said?" She asked, still smiling at his as she poked him in the chest with a finger. "I wouldn't think you'd have anything good to say."

Clark grinned at her and put his hand behind her back. Pulling her towards him, he could feel her hot breath hitting his cheek. "You have to understand that I can't get enough of you. You're just too damn sexy to keep my hands off of you." He kissed her passionately.

Her head swam in delirium as he left her lips. She opened her eyes to see him looking down at her. "I just wish you could keep your hands off me while other's are around." She said, reminding them they had a secret to hide from them.

"I uh, well." Clark rubbed the back of his neck as he took a step back from her, out of her striking distance. "Lex kind of already knows."

"He what?" She asked him, crossing her arms across her chest. "Did I just hear you correctly?" She was scowling at him with all her might.

"Yeah, he knows. Don't worry, I didn't tell him. He figured it out himself." He looked at her pleadingly as she tapped her foot on the floor. "He's not like everyone else Lois, you can't pass many things over on a Luthor." He tried to force a smile, but he failed.

Lois frowned at him deeper. She walked back within striking distance as she looked right into his eyes.

Clark thought for sure she was going to rip his throat out, but he was surprised when she grinned at him. "What? You're not mad?"

Shrugging, Lois turned around, pulling at her skirt again. "I guess I should be, but you're too damn cute to stay mad at." She looked over her shoulder and shot him a classic smile. "Don't worry, I'll find another time to tear you apart." She winked at him.

Clark couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "You surprise me Ms. Lane." He said, walking up behind her as she stared out of the kitchen window towards the barn. He enveloped her in his arms and felt her hold onto him. "Every time I think I have you figured out, you always surprise me."

She didn't take her gaze off the barn as she let him hold her. "You think I'm surprising, cripes, I would have never thought you'd be the one to admit your feelings first. You always seemed too stubborn and thick headed to do something like that."

He squeezed her against him, kissing the back of her head. He felt a little moisture that was still lingering in her hair. "I think you might need to something about you're hair."

She looked up at him from her standing spot. "Why, is there something wrong with my hair? I won't turn it another color if that's what you're hinting at."

"No, that's not what I meant." He raked his hand trough her hair back and forth. "It's a little messy, and I think that if you brushed it, it might be just a little easier to keep this secret. You have no idea how hard it's really going to be."

She was intrigued by what he said at the end. Disengaging herself from his grasp, she reached into her purse pulled out a hair brush. Stroking it gently down her hair, she looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean it's going to be really hard? Lex won't tell anyone, you know that."

"I know he won't, but the problem is that one of us, and it doesn't matter who, is going to slip up in public." He put a hand up as she was about to spew a few words in her defense. "I don't care who slips up, I just don't want to hurt those around us by revealing that we've been dating behind their backs. I don't care what your reasons are for keeping it all a secret, that's your decision, and I just hope you know hard it will be on you, and on me."

"I know it's going to be hard Clark, but life is never easy." She continued to brush her hair as she turned to look back out the window again. "I want to tell everyone that we're involved, but truth to tell, I think I'd just hurt those around me more by admitting it rather than hiding it. Plus, we haven't been together for a day yet. Most people date for a few weeks before they become a couple."

"That's true." He said, agreeing with her. "So, when is our first date?"

"Today." She said, finishing her hair and slipping the brush back into her purse. She pulled at her skirt again.

"I guess you can considerate it a date, but you really must stop pulling at your skirt. You're going to rip that thing off one of these times." He gave her playful smile. "Not that I wouldn't mind seeing it off again, I just think for the sake of the public, you should try not to break the belt."

She gave him a look of worry. "It's just that I haven't worn this thing in such a long time. I feel almost naked with my legs exposed like this."

Clark relented. "If you want to go change into some jeans, you can. I'm not going to make you feel uncomfortable all day." He gave her quirky grin.

"No, it's fine. I just have to get used to it. Like you said, I really should show my legs off more." She slid a hand on her thigh, tying to ease the unsettling feeling she was getting. "I think it's the least of what I can do since what you did to me earlier." Winking at him, she hoisted herself up on the counter and let her legs dangle off the edge.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, leaning against the counter beside her. Her face was unsettled and worried.

"I think so." She said, thinking about the two of them. "Chloe is still love with you, and I don't want to hurt her by letting her find out that we've been going out behind her back. It would absolutely crush her."

Clark took a deep sigh. He knew he was going to have to talk o her about this very subject sooner or later. "I can't change how she feels for me Lois. It's been damn near four years and I'm sorry to say that I don't know what I can do. She can pine for me all she wants, Lana too, but it doesn't change the way I feel about them." His words were a little harsher than he thought they'd be, but he noticed her nod in agreement. "The worst feeling in the world is to watch those around you suffer, and knowing full well that there is nothing you can do to help them."

"When did everything become so damn hazy and confusing?" She asked, resting her chin in his shoulder.

"The very minute we graduated from high school. All be it you did it roughly a year before me, it still counts. From that point on you're expected to be someone. Sometimes that just gets jumbled and confusing because you don't know who you're supposed to be." He stared at the island in front of them.

"What are you supposed to be?" She asked him.

Clark sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I thought I was to be a football player, then a journalist, but now I know that I'm neither." He eyes looked around the kitchen aimlessly. "How about you, do you know who you're supposed to be." He looked at her with a weak smile.

Lois raised and dropped her eyebrows in exasperation. "I have no idea what I am supposed to be, or what I am supposed to do. I, like you, tried journalism, but I too soon found out that it wasn't my calling. I guess I'm just stuck at the same place you are, in limbo."

"Do you find yourself any less happy though?" He asked. "Do you wish everyday there was more to your life than just serving coffee and living in a farmhouse?"

She considered his question for a moment. "I used to, but it always stemmed from my belief that there was something greater than happiness out there. Now I'm not sure there is. I've just found myself revaluating what the meaning of life is. I used to think that going out into the word and making a big impact was the best way to accomplish all things I thought I wanted."

Clark bobbed his head up and down as he listened to her talk. Her words and thoughts were very similar to his. "I've found out that need and want are two very different things. I now understand that having what you need gives you that happiness, but having what you want, just doesn't fill the emptiness that still lingers there when you don't have what you need. I know it sounds confusing, but that's all that I'm really searching for. I'm searching for what I need, not what I want. That's why I live at home still, content on doing farm chores until I figure out what I need."

"It's not confusing Clark." She said in all seriousness. "There are so many things out there that people are searching for, but sometimes you just have to let it come to you. It may seem like the lazy man's excuse, but truthfully, it's sometimes easier to just enjoy what you have and not worry about the future." She took her chin off of his shoulder and looked at him. "It's the whole reason we are together right now. If I hadn't dropped out of college and rethought my priorities, I would have never understood that I needed your friendship. Yes, it was something that I wanted and was thankful for it, but I really never understood that I needed it."

He smiled at her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "It was that friendship that we both needed that is drawing us closer together. Not only is there the physical attraction." He winked at her and rubbed her thigh. "There's an emotional connection that has to exist for this to work. The great thing is that we already had that, whether we had noticed it or not. I don't know if you've noticed, but for the last two months, we've spent everyday together. Not once did we ever date anyone else, or even show the least bit interest in another person. We became such close friends that I eventually admitted to myself that you were my best friend."

"Do you have any idea how much that means to me?" She said, looking straight at him. "I've never had a best friend Clark. I mean, there's Chloe, but she is family. I spent so many years running from one base to another I was never able to stay long enough to make friends." She let a tear drop to the floor as she felt him rap his arms around her.

"You will always have friends here Lois. Not just me, but my mom and dad. You're the daughter they never had. I don't think any of us realized just how much we had actually been missing out on when you showed up. Yes, there were difficult times, but that's life. The reward of having you around us far outweighs any difficulty that has arisen."

She wiped the tears away from her eyes as she pulled away from him. "Sometimes Smallville, you are the most clueless person I've ever met, like you're from another planet. Then, you show me this side of you, and I realize that even though you have your fair amount of stupid moments, you really come through with the right words at the right moment."

Clark couldn't help but smile at her. "I try my best. You must understand though, if you want to pursue a relationship with me, you're going to have to take those dunce moments along with the brilliant ones too. It's not just a one way highway with me. I can't be perfect like you."

"You think I'm perfect?" She snorted a laugh. I've done some shady things Smallville."

"Like indulging in the sins of the flesh with one said farm boy." He grinned at her wildly. "Don't tell me it hasn't been a fantasy of yours, even if you hadn't dreamed about me in particular."

She punched him in the arm lightly. "I guess every young woman has her farm hand fantasies."

"They're here." He said, helping her down off of the counter. "Chloe is going flip when she sees what you're wearing."

"You're probably right, but that just means I can turn it back around on her. If you've noticed, she wears jeans all the time too." She watched as his face thought about it. He nodded to her as she swiped at her skirt, straightening it. "I'm actually nervous." She said suddenly. "Chloe I don't think has ever seen me in a skirt."

Clark squeezed her hand with his. "Just remember, have a spine, pretend she's me."

Lois chuckled at him as she let go of his hand and pushed her way out the front door. She watched as her car and Chloe's pulled up the driveway. She looked back to see if Clark was following after her. He wasn't, and suddenly she wondered how in the world he had known the cars were here. She frowned until she remembered what he had told her the day before about selective hearing. She was really going to have to learn to do it, she thought to herself.

Chloe pulled up to farm house behind Andrea. Her mouth dropped open as she watched Lois walk out of the house in a skirt. "What the hell...?" She mouthed to herself. As she watched Andrea get out of the parked car in front of her, she just stared at Lois, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her cousin would never willingly wear a skirt. Truth to tell, she hadn't seen her in one in almost three years. She stepped out of her car after a few moments. Quickly, but not as if she was shocked to her core, she moved towards Lois. "My god Lois." She said, getting closer to both her and Andrea.

Lois blushed just a little. She hoped to god that Chloe didn't see it. "It's warm out here." She said suddenly, trying to pass of any hint of her redness as weather related. The look she got from her cousin was one of pure mirth. "What?" She asked her smaller but blonder cousin.

She just stood there, her gapping jaw slowly being replaced by smile as she continued to look up and down from Lois's face to her legs. "You look, I don't how to put it. You look pretty Lois." She continued to grin as her cousin turned a little redder. "What, can't take a compliment?"

Lois forced her blush away with all her might. She wasn't used to being told that. "No one has called be that in so long Chloe, it's just a little flattering, and a bit scary."

"So, why are you wearing a skirt Lois? I don't want to be nosy, because you certainly make me wish I had legs like that, but there has to be something behind it all."

Lois began to think of a reasonable answer. She began to fumble for the right words, her face reddening to an impossible level. Luckily, she heard Clark save her from behind.

"She owed me." He said, walking out of the house and down the porch steps towards the three of them. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he grinned at them. "I bet her she couldn't keep from laughing while she was talking to you on the phone."

Lois met out a deep breath, silently thanking him for rescuing her.

Chloe looked form Clark to Lois with a slight frown. "Okay, that explains what I heard on the phone earlier." She scowled at them some more. "So, what did Clark have to do if he lost?"

"He had to wear the skirt instead." Lois smiled at her cousin deviously. Winking at her, she looked over at Clark. "I don't think it would have fit him, but it would have been funny to see him try." Her gaze lingered on his as she made a mental snapshot of it. Turning her gaze back to the two women in front of her, she rolled her eyes. "Don't you both look at me like that."

"Like what?" Chloe asked, knowing full well what she meant.

"Like we just did something out of the ordinary. Smallville and I play these games all the time. Helps keep things from getting boring around here." She frowned back in return of their scowls.

"I didn't know you played these kinds of games?" Chloe looked at both Lois and Clark.

Lois shot back before she even thought about it. "You've been away for two months Chloe, you have no idea what's going on in Smallville." She instantly regretted her words as she saw a look of pain come across Chloe's face. "I'm sorry Chloe. I'm not completely up for all these questions. I had a long night."

Chloe's feelings turned quickly from anger to mirth as she remembered what Andrea had said. "I heard that you were so drunk you couldn't even open your own car door."

Lois shrugged. "I have no idea, I can't remember anything."

Andrea piped in. "I can certainly say that it was the least of her worries. I'm just surprised to see you up walking around after consuming so much alcohol."

Lois smiled at the two of them and turned to Clark, patting his forearm. "Smallville held my hair while I vomited. He's a good boy scout." She said playfully, turning back to them and grinning.

"Are you not hung-over?" Chloe asked. She could still feel the pounding in her head, even if it was almost ten in the morning.

She shrugged again, not knowing was else to really say. Clark came to her rescue yet again.

"She puked right after she got back here. The only think she really felt was hunger when she woke up." He grinned at them. "Plus, a large amount of coffee sure does the trick too."

"I'll agree with you on that." Chloe said.

"Keys?" Lois asked Andrea, holding out her hand. They fell into her hand a second later. Turning around, she tossed them at Clark's chest. "You drive; I'm too lazy to adjust the seat because of my footwear."

Clark grabbed the keys as they bounced off of his chest. "Yes master." He said sarcastically, following her.

"Where are you off to?" Chloe asked, following both of them over to Lois's car.

Clark opened the door and got in. He looked up at Chloe and Andrea. "Lois insists that I get something new to wear for tonight. So, she's taking me shopping."

Chloe laughed as she heard the groan escape his mouth after he finished talking. "How in the world did he agree to go with you?" Chloe asked Lois, her grin wider than ever.

Lois smirked back as she got into the passenger side door. "I won a bet earlier, but don't worry. We're not really going to get him something; he's just my butler for the day."

Clark looked at Chloe and rolled his eyes.

"Maybe we'll join you." Chloe said suddenly.

"Sorry cuz, but we're going to Metropolis. I doubt you want to head back a day early." Lois grinned up at both of them. "Besides, this way you two can drink and tan all day."

Clark snorted out a laugh as he started the engine. "See you both later." He said to the two women standing outside the car. He slowly backed up, positioned the car to the laneway, and sped off in a cloud of dust. Once they were out the laneway, he turned to Lois. "That went easier than I thought."

She frowned at him. "You call that easy? I almost slipped when she asked me why I was wearing a skirt."

"Couldn't get your mind off of earlier huh?"

She whacked him in the arm. "I'm not that single minded." She said, looking back to the laneway.

He turned the car onto the road. "I don't know Lois; if I took my shirt off right now, you'd be thinking only one thing."

"There's that cockiness again Smallville. I didn't know you were so full of yourself." She paused to stare at him. "What's gotten into you?"

"You have." He said briskly.

She punched him in the arm again. "I knew it was my fault. Too bad I'm not going to change so that you'll go back to being a nervous boy scout."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He said, slipping on his seat belt as they rolled down the gravel road.

-

Chloe walked back over to her car, Andrea following her. "I would never have thought that those two would have become such good friends." She looked over across the car to Andrea as she opened the door.

Andrea got in with her before she answered. "You'd be surprised what having only one friend around will do."

Chloe started her car as she mulled over what Andrea said. "You think she has feelings for Clark?" She asked, pulling out the laneway. She could feel her heart contort and skip a beat just at thought of it.

She was about to answer Chloe truthfully, and tell her what Lois said the night before to her, but she stopped herself when she saw the pained expression on the blond woman's face. "Don't worry." She smiled reassuringly. "Clark told me that they're just becoming better friends."

Chloe gripped the wheel a little tighter. She was actually a jealous of her cousin. "Clark and I used to be close friends." She said suddenly. "I would have never thought the day would come when Lois was closer to him than I, or even Lana for that matter." Her heart began to tear apart just a bit as she fought back a tear.

Andrea almost said something flip, but she held her tongue in check. "Just look at it this way. At least it isn't someone you can't trust." She hated saying it.

"You're right." Chloe replied, forcing a weak smile.


	25. Chapter 25

Ch. 25

The road was empty, save for one car. In it were two occupants, their seatbelts tightly wrapping them into the seat. Neither was speaking, but both knew the silence was only temporary.

Lois fidgeted in the seat, pulling her skirt once again.

"Lois, you have to stop that. You look great; there is no need to hide what is so beautiful." Clark looked over at her, his left wrist draped over the steering wheel. Quickly flashing a grin, he put a hand on her bare thigh and gave it a firm squeeze.

She reddened as she felt his hand on her thigh. "How come you make me so nervous and bashful?" She asked him, placing her hand on top of his. "I'm normally the one who makes the other blush."

Clark shrugged and put his foot down on the pedal a little harder. "You have a soft spot for me?" He looked back to the road, leaving his question hanging in the air.

"Maybe." She said softly, her words barely above a whisper. Neatly crossing her legs, she let his hand drop to the seat. She still held onto his though, her fingers gripping tighter to his palm.

Clark lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. "Don't worry Lois, it's not a bad thing."

Lois looked out down the road, her vision scanning the clouds that were steadily depleting the sunshine. "Good thing the top is up. It looks like it is going to rain." She changed the subject as quickly as she could. Any normal person would have picked up on it and questioned what was wrong, but Clark wasn't normal. She smiled as he just left it alone.

Clark leaned his head over the steering wheel and looked up to the clouds. "You're right." He said. Moments later a few rain drops fell onto the windshield and he turned on the wipers. "So much for the sun." He gripped the wheel with both hands and pushed on it. He sighed heavily.

"Don't like the rain Smallville?" She smirked at him.

Clark glared at her, but replaced it with a sly grin. "Well, not usually no, but to see you soaking wet may change my opinion."

"Hair like mine doesn't do so well when wet." She said, stroking a strand. "After getting so much body in it, it would suck to have it flattened again."

"When did Lois Lane begin to fret about her hair?" He chuckled.

She shot him an annoyed glare. "When you told me to brush it Smallville." She smirked at him suddenly. "I'm beginning to think you have a follicle fetish." Her grin was wider than the clouds above the car.

Clark, still grinning, reached over and patted her on the top of her head, just like he would a dog. "It's just one of many." He said, winking at her.

Lois shoved his hand away, feeling like a child as she did it. "Quit treating me like a child, I'm your girlfriend, treat me with a little more respect." She had said it seriously, but she really didn't mean it.

He heard the sternness in her voice and looked over to her. "I'm sorry Lois." He said, his eyes lingering on her face as she turned to look at him. "I didn't mean to upset you."

She stared at his apologetic face. "You are always apologizing. You never do anything wrong, yet you always think something is amiss." She grabbed his hand and rubbed it. "I don't want to hear another apology all day." She paused and looked at him. "Okay?" She stated when he didn't say anything back.

"Okay." He said, bending towards her to greet her in a kiss, but the seatbelt caught him before he could get anywhere close.

Lois laughed, pulled off her seatbelt and leaned over, kissing him. She pulled back, smiling. "A seatbelt the only thing that can hold you back?" She joked, looking at the mirth in his eyes.

Clark chuckled along with her. He was surprised he didn't snap the seatbelt; it would have made for an awkward moment to say the least. Looking back to the road, he could see the outline of the city growing closer as the rain began to fall more steadily. The road was still empty, no car going in either direction. "Where is all the traffic?" He asked aimlessly.

Lois looked at him, thinking he was just playing with her. She stopped herself from giving a flip retort when she saw the look on his face. His question had been dead serious. "I have no idea." She said, worried. Looking back to the road, she noticed the lightening beginning to flash over the city. "Looks like quite a storm."

Clark looked up to the sky again, this time leaning towards the driver door window. "Looks like a big one." He replied, echoing her statement. "Hopefully we'll make it to the mall before it starts to rain really hard." He could see the mall just as he took the first turn off. "Luckily it isn't right downtown." He said, smiling over at Lois.

"Yes, my hair is that important you know." She was unbuckling her seatbelt as the car pulled into the parking lot. "Now, since we both didn't bring a coat, please tell me you brought an umbrella?"

Clark snorted a laugh. "You know full well I didn't. Plus, this is your car; shouldn't you have one in here somewhere?" He laughed to himself as he found the closest empty parking spot to the mall and pulled in.

"Yeah right Smallville." She punched him lightly in the shoulder as he turned the car off. I'm wearing a coat of some kind. You're just in a T-Shirt. You'll be wetter than me." She looked at him seductively. "Too bad it's black and not white."

Clark rolled is eyes and opened the door. Getting out, he let the rain hit him full on. It wasn't coming down very hard, but each drop was large and heavy. He was about to walk towards the mall entrance, but stalled when he saw that Lois wasn't getting out. Bending down, he looked in at her. "Getting out?" He asked.

Lois's sly smirk found its way back onto her face. "You're my boyfriend. You should open the door for me."

Clark groaned and shut the door. He casually walked to the other side of the door and knocked on the window, ignoring the rain that was falling upon him. The window rolled down slowly.

"Yes?" Lois asked, acting as if she had never met him before. "Speak up sir, what do you want?"

He grumbled some more as he decided not to play along in her little game. His shirt was getting soaked. "Come on Lois, I'm getting wetter out here every second you delay."

"Good, then maybe I'll have to buy you a new shirt to walk around in. I really never liked black on you." She grinned at him and rolled the window back up slowly. Smiling even wider, she locked the door.

Clark, annoyed with her game, slipped up and let his emotions get the best of him. He grabbed the door handle and wrenched the door free. The sound of the lock snapping brought him back to reality as he let go of the door as it swung aside. He watched as Lois got out of the car and stood in front of him, her eyes wide.

She looked at him, then at the door. For almost a minute she looked back and forth from him to the door, her eyes almost bulging out of her skull. "You broke my door." She said finally. There were no other words that would escape her lips. She was shocked to say the least.

Clark's face slipped from his annoyed look to absolute fear. He quickly gained back his scowl and shot back. "That's for not getting out of the car." He smiled at her quickly, trying to lighten the tension that was hanging over them.

She just stared at him, her eyes still wide. "Clark, what in the world did you just do?"

"I opened the door. Isn't it obvious?"

Lois dropped the questions that were running wild in her head and squeezed his right bicep. "I knew you were strong Clark, but you broke the lock. I don't know if I can ever let this go." She watched his eyes cloud over in fear, but she washed it away with a grin. "Don't worry; I won't dump you because of it." Her eyes showed mirth, but deep down she was conflicted. What he had done just raised so many questions she wanted answered. There was no way that someone could just rip open a locked door, but Clark just did. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She would leave her questions until later. "Now, let's get in before we get soaked." Tugging at his arm she darted for the mall.

Clark stood there stunned. Lois had dropped the door fiasco like it was a rabid coon. He frowned. Lois never dropped things; she always had to root out the source of all things strange and obscure. In many ways she was like Chloe, but with more attitude. He heard her call him, bringing him out of thought. He watched her grin at him while she ran backwards. "I'm coming." He said, running after her a second later.

Lois laughed as she tried to dart in-between each drop of rain. Her footwear was slowing her down, but she kept on going. She was almost at the curb by the entrance when she felt a strong pair of arms lift her up off her feet.

Clark let out a bellowing laugh as he draped her over his shoulder. Rushing through the doors, he spun her around a few times. He watched as her hair went flying wildly.

Lois let out a yelp as Clark spun her around on his shoulder. "Stop Smallville." She laughed out.

"Getting dizzy?" He asked, ignoring the people who were watching them. He slowed down and came to a smooth stop, Lois still draped over his shoulder.

"I'm not dizzy." She said, looking from the spinning floor to spinning mall. "Put me down." She said with more authority.

"Why?" He asked, still laughing.

"Because, everyone is getting a good look at my rear end."

Clark looked at what she meant. Her rear was sticking straight out by his face, her thong clearly showing from under her skirt. Blushing furiously, he set her down, his hands sliding to her waist.

She turned almost the same color as Clark as she looked around at the people staring. Feeling incredibly self conscious, she straightened her shirt and pulled at her skirt yet again. "Let's get out of here." She said meekly.

He nodded and led her away from the entrance with his hand on her back. They walked briskly, still feeling the eyes of others on their backs as they disappeared into the throngs of people walking between stores.

As soon as they were far enough away so that no one could see them, she backed him into a corner and gave him a hard punch to the arm. "What the hell did you do that for?" She scowled at him like only his mother would. "Everyone got to see my bare arse. God Smallville, sometimes you are so stupid I think I might have to put you on a leash." She pinned him up against the wall with a hand to his chest. His shirt was still wet, and suddenly she realized that her hand was drawing circles around his pectorals.

"Uh, Lois." Clark was looking down at her strange expression.

"Mmm?"

"Lois, we're in public. Get your hand off my belt." He pushed her hand away, trying to be as gentle as possible.

Lois snapped back to reality as she looked up at him suddenly. "What is it about you that causes me to lose all my inhibitions?" It was a serious question, one that she couldn't put her finger on the answer.

Clark looked down at her pleading eyes and could only shrug. "I don't know Lois; you do the same thing to me. The thing is I know the difference between decency and indecency. You are just greedy Lois." He was smiling at her.

"Can you blame me?" She smirked, kissing him softly on the chin. "Now, answer me. Why did you pick me up earlier?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked, grabbing her hand in his.

"No." She retorted, her anger boiling just a pinch. "If it was I would have stated so." Removing her hand from his, she turned around and looked at the numerous people passing by, none of them aware that she was watching.

Clark closed the distance she had made between them. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he bent down and whispered in her ear. "I just wanted to see you smile."

She turned around and looked at him straight in the eyes, her own screaming with desire. The words had come out his mouth so smoothly, so softly, all she wanted to do at that moment was rip his clothes off. She reminded herself that they were still in public, and swallowed the lump in her throat. Resigning to just a kiss, she put a hand on his cheek. "You really have to stop playing with my emotions. I don't think I can take it anymore."

He gave her faint smile. "Are you admitting defeat?" His smile quickly spread into a toothy grin.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm serious Smallville. My body is aching for you, and all you seem to do is edge me on. Whether you're doing it on purpose or not, you have to stop." Her eyes fluttered open.

The look she gave him was enough for his grin to disappear. He wrapped her tightly in his arms. Lois had given up. It wasn't really a victory, but more of a surprise. The woman never gave up. First by the car, then this, he was seriously wondering if she was truly alright. "You're scaring me Lois."

"How?" She asked, her hand never leaving his face.

"You're not acting like yourself. You are showing me something that I didn't think existed."

"And what is that?" Her fingers tapped his cheek softly.

"Vulnerability." He said, his eyes staring into the top of her head. "I've never seen you this vulnerable."

Lois couldn't help but agree with him. He seemed to bring down all her barriers, most likely not on purpose, but he did it none the less. In truth, she felt disgusted. She was always taught to be strong, to have willpower, but for some reason Clark got to her. It wasn't just a one way street though; she had some strange hold over him too. "I may be vulnerable in your arms Clark, but it won't take much and you will be putty in my hands."

"I don't scare you, do I?" He asked, suddenly.

She pulled back and looked up at his pleading eyes. "In some ways you do. The way you opened the door, the way you caught up with me at the entrance way. There was no way you should have been able to do any of that." The sadness that was creeping into his eyes caused her stomach to tighten. There was something there that he was hiding; no he was forcing it to stay hidden. "There is something in your eyes Smallville, something I can't make sense of. Usually you can tell when someone is hiding something, but you, you aren't hiding something. You are trying to forget something." She searched his whole face for meaning, but came up empty. The look he was giving her caused her stomach to turn over, instantly forcing her to regret her words. She lightened the mood suddenly. "I'm not Lana, I won't even begin to ask."

Clark laughed. One moment she was being serious, on the edge of questioning him, and then she completely surprised him. He was incredibly relieved. The moment she began questioning him, it would be the first sign that she didn't trust him. The words that she was unlike Lana were so ironically true. Lana's doubts ate away at their relationship. Luckily, he could see that Lois didn't seem to share those same doubts.

"I'll agree with you on that. You are much taller."

She stepped out of his arms and crossed her own over her chest. "That's all?" She asked, her playful frown deepening her soft features.

Clark draped his arm around her and guided her back to the throng of people walking through the shopping mall. "You happen to have some muscle on you. Plus, you eat like a woman should. Lord knows how I put up with a woman who ate dainty salads and felt like a twig in my hands."

"Are you calling me fat?" She asked. The laughter was almost escaping her throat.

Clark squeezed her shoulder and shrugged. "No, just pleasantly plump." He caught her gaze, her eyes squinting at him.

"I am not plump." She said with a sour tone. "In fact, I don't have any excess weight on me."

"Maybe not, but you get what I'm saying?"

"I think so." She glared at him with a sloppy grin. "You want someone who won't break under pressure." Winking at him, she slipped from under his arm and held his hand. "Now, let's find you something to wear. Your shirt is still wet."

"That's your fault remember. You are going to pay for a new one."

Lois snorted out a loud laugh. "In your dreams Smallville." She pulled him towards a small clothier store that carried only men's finer clothes. "Let's see if there is anything in here."

Clark let her half drag, half force him into the store. He didn't like shopping. In fact, it was so far down on his list of enjoying things to do, he thought it almost like church, he never went. He looked down at her legs as he followed her into the store. He might not have enjoyed shopping, but her legs could certainly keep him following her from store to store.

Lois stopped abruptly to look at a shirt hanging from a rack on the wall. She almost fell to the floor as Clark bumped into her from behind. Regaining her bearings, she turned around and glared at him. The blush in his cheeks was the only thing that gave him away. "You were drooling over me again weren't you?" The sheepish look in his eyes gave him away again. "I told you to stop; you could have pushed me over and hurt me."

"Yeah right." He said sarcastically.

She smiled at him. "Good to see that you're starting to get it. Now, try this on." She turned around and grabbed a nice white polo golf shirt. Holding it up in front of him, she smirked. "Your color I think."

"I don't think so." He said dryly.

"Hmm." Lois sighed, putting the shirt back. Walking farther into the small store, she eyed a nice pair of slacks. "Do you prefer black or beige?" She asked, grabbing a pair from the rack. "I'm a fan of the black myself."

Clark eyed the pants meticulously. "I like the style, but I usually have problem with the length."

Lois held the pants up to his belt. "They might just be long enough, Why not give them a try."

He grabbed the pants with a heavy hand and headed towards the change room.

"Smallville?" Lois called, watching him walk towards the change room.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning to look at her, and getting a face full of shirt.

"Try that on too."

"Yes m'am." He grumbled, closing the door with authority.

"They're all the same aren't they?"

Lois looked to her left to see who had spoken. She was greeted by a tall dark skinned woman with curly black hair and glowing white teeth. The woman seemed friendly enough, so she nodded. "That they are."

"I'm Katherine." The dark woman said, extending her hand.

Lois gave it a slight shake. "Lois, nice to meet you."

"You here with a friend?" Katherine asked, slightly bored with the silence that was enveloping the store.

Lois was relieved that this woman didn't seem to be the quiet type. Small chatter was never her forte, but it was better than nothing. "Well, sort of. I guess you can say that." Lois wasn't quite sure how to label her and Clark's relationship, there were so many variables to it there really wasn't anything else she could think of.

Katherine picked up on Lois's tone right away. "Sounds like you're not sure." She paused a moment, gauging how intimate she should get with a complete stranger.

Lois was struggling with her own decision to explain more or just leave it be. The silence that passed between them made up her mind. "First date." She said finally.

"Seems like you've known him a while though, especially if he lets you pick out his clothes." Katherine checked her watch. "What is with men? I swear sometimes they are so slow they make my morning makeup routine seem like a forty yard dash." A small smile parsed her lips.

Lois rolled her eyes in agreement. "Clark and I have known each other for about two years, things just sort of fell into place yesterday. It was really strange. Everything went backwards, but I guess that in itself makes perfect sense. There's something about him that I find odd."

"Odd in a good way though?"

"Yeah, but I don't spend too much time thinking about it. I tend to let these things fall into place. I'm lazy when it comes to relationships." Lois frowned and knocked on the door. "You ready yet Smallville?" She asked. Lois chuckled as she heard him grunt from behind the door. "Hurry up before you use all the hot water." Laughing sharply, she banged on the door for dramatic effect. She continued to smile as she looked over at a grinning Katherine. "So, I forgot to ask you. Boyfriend?"

"Fiancé." She replied in a cheery tone.

"Congratulations." Lois said, taking the woman's left hand and spying the ring. "Nice rock."

"Thank you." She replied, pulling her hand away, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Lois nodded. "When's the wedding?"

"In a couple of weeks." Katherine spun the ring on her finger. "Not soon enough to tell you the truth. I'm already jittery."

Something in the back of Lois's mind was tugging at her, but she ignored it. "Never been married, can't give you any advice." She gave the woman a helpless look. "I'm sure it will go fine."

Katherine thanked her with a smile. "I know it will. Right now I just hope I can get him something to wear for the rehearsal dinner. He is so fashion challenged its ridiculous. T-shirt and jeans everyday."

"I know how you feel." Lois said. "I have the exact same problem with Smallville. He does throw on a plaid shirt on once and a while though, but that's not proper clothes to be wearing around in public."

"Smallville?"

"Nick name. Well sort of." Lois looked at Katherine with and empty expression. Turning her attention back to Clark, she pounded on the door again. "Hurry it up, we don't have all day."

"Coming dear." Clark said sarcastically from behind the door.

Lois grinned and looked over to Katherine again. "What's your fiancé's name?"

Katherine was about to answer but the door opened and her future husband walked out.

"It's Victor." He said, handing over a set of pants to Katherine. "This one fits." He readjusted his belt and looked at his fiancé. "Talking with strangers again?" His white teeth showed brightly against this dark skin. He was about to say something more, but he stopped. "Did I overhear you say Clark?" His eyes were focused on Lois.

"Yes, but why-." She was cut off when Clark came out of the change room, his pants up past his ankles and his shirt at least one size to small for him.

Clark looked at the shirt and tugged at the sleeves that went only to his forearms. "Larger size might do." He said, looking up at Lois with a grin. Lois had a weird look on her face, and she wasn't even looking at him. Following her gaze, he noticed two people standing together just a couple of feet away.

"Clark, I really think you ought to hit the big and tall store. You look ridiculous." Victor laughed.

Clark clasped hands with the former Met High wide receiver. "Victor, I think you're right. I do look ridiculous." He glanced over to Katherine. "Congratulations on the wedding." He wasn't too surprised that he ran into them, it was Metropolis, and weird things were synonymous with Metropolis and Smallville in general. He turned his attention back to Lois who looked a little lost.

Lois's eyes snapped wide as she found that little tug on her brain. "Ah, now I know who you are. Sorry, took me a second to piece it all together." Clark introduced her formally, but she had probably talked to Katherine more in three minutes than he ever had.

"You're coming to the wedding aren't you?" Victor asked, tucking in his t-shirt.

"Of course Victor, wouldn't miss it." Clark undid the tight shirt and took it off. It was really uncomfortable, and he really didn't care if he wasn't in the change room. Handing it over to Lois, he grabbed the same shirt, but two sizes bigger. While he was buttoning it up, he glanced to see both Katherine and Lois staring at his chest. He looked at Victor with raised eyebrows.

Victor got the look and nudged his soon to be wife. "Honey, quit staring. It's Clark, not an underwear model."

Katherine tore her gaze away. "Sorry." She said.

Victor just rolled his eyes and grabbed the pants in her hand and walked to the checkout counter.

Lois was still staring, but then again she always did. Clark looked at Katherine and laughed. "Katherine, you wouldn't mind bringing Lois back to reality for me would you?" He grinned and stepped back into the changing room with a bigger pair of black pants.

"Lois." Katherine hissed. She nudged the brunette with elbow. "Lois, snap out of if."

"What?" Lois screamed. She became self conscious as others in the store turned to look at her. Her face became a little red as she looked over to Katherine. "I was staring again wasn't I?"

"Again? I could have sworn you have never seen his bare chest before, you were like a kid in a candy store."

Lois let her eyes close, remembering the sight of a naked Clark Kent. "I've seen everything that man has to offer, and trust me, if you saw it all, you'd stare too."

"Lois!" Katherine said sternly. "I don't know you at all, and you're going to talk to me about that sort of thing."

"Why not? I can't talk to anyone else about it. My best friend is my cousin, and she's in love with Clark. The only other women I'm close to is Clark's mom." Lois let out a long sigh.

The dark haired woman ran a hand through her curly locks. "Sounds like a pretty pickle you've managed to work yourself into."

"I haven't even mentioned that we haven't even told anyone that we're dating."

"Why is that?"

"There are two people in love with him, one I couldn't hurt, and one I want to beat the life out of. If Chloe wasn't still in love with him, I wouldn't be so worried and secretive." Lois watched as Victor came back over to them, his clothes in a bag. She noticed something odd in the way he was walking. There wasn't anything particular she could put her finger on, he just seemed to walk different.

"How long did your cousin and Clark date?" Katherine asked, finding Victor's hand as he got closer.

"That's the kicker, they never dated."

"Never dated?" Victor said, surprised. "Sounds like a high school crush to me."

Lois raised her hands in the air. "Finally, there is someone who understands. I thought I was the only one who did."

"What about Lana?" Victor asked.

Lois grinned to herself; the thought of slapping Lana around some more was giving her the tiniest bit pleasure. "Clark dumped her about three months ago."

"I thought Clark had been in love with her since elementary school." Victor draped an arm around Katherine.

"He had been, but I think he found out that she is the most whiny, needy and doubting woman in the world. I was always kind to the woman out respect, but once he broke up with her, I got all the emotion from him. He almost despises the woman. It's shocking to think that Clark could almost hate someone." Lois tapped her foot, trying to forcibly will Clark out of the change room.

Clark stepped out a second later, a navy blue dress shirt that he hadn't bothered to tuck in. The pants fit really well, but they weren't long enough yet again. Doing up the zipper, he stood in front of the mirror. Not bad he thought to himself.

"Looking handsome, Smallville." Lois said, standing beside him, her smirk present. "Good thing those cuffs on the bottom of those pants come down, otherwise we'd have to go to the big and tall store."

Clark raised his eyebrows. He hadn't seen the cuffs while changing; they were much bigger than they needed to be. "Good, less shopping then." He grinned and went back to the change room, leaving a smirking Lois Lane by the mirror. He came out a minute later with both the pants and shirt in hand. Walking over to Lois, he winked to both Victor and Katherine. Turning back to Lois, he handed her the clothes. "You wouldn't mind paying for these would you?"

Lois scowled at him, her hands going straight to her hips. "I don't think so." She said seriously.

"Come on Lois, I forgot my wallet." He grinned at her.

She just shook her head and laughed out loud. "I'm not that stupid Smallville."

"Why don't you just race home and get it?" Victor asked from behind.

Clark's eyes went wide. He saw a weird expression on Lois's face and turned around. The glare he gave Victor caused the man half made of bionics to lose his grin. Clark shook his head and mouthed "No." silently.

Victor looked at Clark and instantly understood what he meant. "Just kidding Clark." He said, smiling quickly. He slapped himself mentally at being so careless. Clark had dated Lana and never told her about his abilities, he shouldn't have been surprised that he hadn't told Lois. Looking over to Kat, he spoke quietly. "Oops."

Katherine swatted him on the arm. "Oops is right." She said, glaring at him.

Lois watched as Clark turned around to look at her, a grin on his face again. When Victor told him to race home, she could have sworn he sounded serious. Something was going on, but she didn't have the heart to ask. "You're paying for it, and that's final Smallville." She pushed away the clothes that were still in his hands. Walking briskly out of the store, she smiled to herself, the victory hers, even if it only lasted a few minutes.


	26. Chapter 26

26.

Clark paid the teller and picked up his bag. He spied Lois outside the store by a couple of wooden resting benches talking to Katherine and Victor. Walking towards them, he readjusted his foot in his boot. It felt as if there was a rock in it. Shaking it a little, he felt the small pinch go away. It didn't hurt, but it was really uncomfortable.

"Doing the hokey-pokey?" Lois asked, smirking, her eyes watching him with pure malicious laughter.

Clark grumbled at her as he shook his foot again to make sure the rock hadn't crept back to its original place. Satisfied, he began to walk normally as he finally reached her. "No, I had a damn rock in my boot." He hoisted the bag up and draped it over his shoulder. Holding onto it with two fingers through the loophole, he stuffed his left hand in his pocket. "Where to next?" He asked Lois, her eyes closing in on him a second later.

"Well, it's almost lunch, and I'm sure the mall food court has something for us to eat." She gave him a hapless smirk and turned toward the couple beside her. "Care to join us?"

"We'd love to." Katherine replied. She eyed Victor as he nodded in agreement. "I just hope you don't have to pick out food for Clark too. My man tends to get very lost when surrounded by so much food." She eyed Victor with a sly smile and grinned wildly at both Lois and Clark.

"Sounds like Lois." Clark snipped, his nose twitching suddenly. "Difference is, she eats all of it." He was feeling proud of himself as he felt a punch on his arm. "Yes dear?" He turned to her, his eyes blinking and twinkling.

"Don't look at me like that." Lois barked. "It looks like you've come down with a mild case of mad cow." She punched him again, only slightly softer this time.

"Quit abusing me Lois. I swear if you hit me one more time I'm calling the police." There was no hint of seriousness in his voice, but he gave her a stern look none the less.

Lois just whacked him in the chest. "If I didn't have you to take my frustration out on, I don't know who'd feel my wrath."

"Shelby." He said loudly. When Lois smiled at him, he couldn't help but grin and drape his arm around her shoulders. It was probably true too; she wasn't very fond of the dog. She told him it was her allergies, but he was a little skeptical.

"Can we get going?" Victor asked. "I'm starving here."

Clark guided Lois towards the food court, passing Victor along the way and shooting him a deathly stare. "If you're so hungry, just drink a quart of hydraulic oil." He flashed a quick grin before Victor could register what he just said. Once victor had picked up on the joke, he had already turned his head back.

"What did you mean by that?" Lois asked, draping her arm around his waist to squeeze him tighter to her.

"Inside joke." He replied dryly.

"Sounds like something I would want to know." She looked up at him as he scanned the floor in front of him.

He shrugged as if to give it little consequence. "He threw me into a brick wall once, by accident of course. I told him he must have hydraulics for arms."

"He looks strong Smallville, but he's not nearly as big as you are. I don't believe you." She frowned and looked back to the people passing them while they walked slower than everyone else.

"I didn't believe it either, but trust me; he's much stronger than I am." He didn't want to divulge too much information. Victor's secret was a big one, but it paled in comparison to his.

"After the way you broke my door earlier, I wouldn't have thought so, but if you say so." She let her words silently drift off, her voice laden with confusion and wonder. "Maybe I need to see an arm wrestling contest to be sure." Smirking at him, she squeezed her hand on where his right kidney was located.

Clark feigned being injured and squirmed in her tight grip. Arm wrestling with Victor was probably one of the worst ideas he had ever heard. The moment one of them got the others hand slapped on the table, they'd likely be two feet in the ground. Truth was, and maybe it was the real reason why he thought it was a bad idea, he knew he would lose. There was no way he was going to look weak in front of Lois. She was a strong woman, and she would never put up with a meek man. "You wouldn't want to see me embarrassed Lois. Victor would make me look like a fool."

"Now that's my regular Smallville." Lois laughed sharply. "Backing down from one of my challenges and making me feel even more intrigued. Good to see that you're not always occupied with my goodies that you forget that you're still a prude and a wimp."

"Did you say limp?" He asked with a chuckle. "I don't believe it was any-"

"Shh." Lois hushed him. "There are other people around Smallville." She glared up at him.

Clark looked over to see an elderly couple staring at him with wide eyes. He blushed furiously, too ashamed to speak. He cleared his throat and looked forward again, trying to remove the old couple's looks that were burned permanently into his memory.

Lois felt a stab of giddiness as she saw Clark go as red as a tomato. Even if he showed new qualities that she had never shown before, there was still a boy scout in there somewhere. She would never in a million years admit to him that she adored his scout routine. That couldn't stop her from thinking it was incredibly noble and endearing though.

They came to a slow stop, eyeing the food court from a close distance. There were so many different types of food that neither of them could make up their mind as to what to eat.

"Any Idea what you want?" He asked her.

"Not a clue. There's just too much to choose from." She spied Victor and Katherine pass them and head towards the closest Chinese food counter. "At least they know what they want."

Clark just nodded silently as he tried to make up his mind. "You know, this entire decision making process really makes me wish I just had a loaf of bread and some meat."

Lois could only agree. There was so much to choose from she wished it was only that simple. Giving up, she disengaged herself from Clark and wandered up to the Pizza counter. There was nothing she particularly really wanted, and pizza was universally good in her opinion. She had to go with one of her favorite vices, Hawaiian. "Two slices of Hawaiian." She said to the acne riddled teenage boy in front of her.

Clark took a step to get up beside her. Instead of blurting out what he wanted, he waited for the kid to ask him. "I'll take two slices of pepperoni." He said, eyeing the menu above him. "Actually, make that three slices. I'm hungry." He looked down at a surprised Lois. "Don't worry, I'll share."

She rolled her eyes at him as she pushed a tray down the ledge towards the cash register.

"What to drink?" The person behind the counter asked

Lois spoke for both of them. "Two cokes." She said, knowing exactly what Clark would want. He was always predictable when it came to soft drinks.

Clark just smiled and nodded as the kid behind the glass looked at him. He placed the two drinks on the tray as they waited for their slices to warm up in the oven. "Didn't think you shared in my Coca Cola sweet tooth." He said, leaning his hands on the counter ledge as he waited anxiously for his food.

"You got me hooked." She said warmly.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"How?" He was a little perplexed by what she had said.

"When I moved in to the farm house, you guys only had Coke, no Pepsi. I was naïve enough to believe that maybe you didn't get Pepsi in the country; it always seemed like more of a hip soft drink."

"Are you saying I'm not hip?" He grinned at her.

"Do you even want me to answer that one? I think you know the answer." She eyed his attire.

Clark followed her eyes toward his shirt. "I think I do." He said, laughing with her. "So, about the Pepsi?"

"Oh, right. Well, since there was none I didn't bother asking about it. I wasn't going to bother your mom to buy Pepsi instead of Coke, especially if that's what you and your parents drank."

"You could have though." Clark reassured her. "She would have bought it for you."

"I know that Smallville, but I was too afraid to ask for anything else then. Your parents had already let me live at the house, I felt as if it would have been imposing and rude." She paused for second as she remembered exactly how much she had been afraid that first week with them. She had been so scared she'd do something to get kicked out. Later she would find out that his parents were the two most caring people in the world. "I just started drinking the same thing you did. I got hooked soon after."

"It's the cocaine in it you know. That's what has you hooked."

She snorted out a laugh as she picked up her two slices that has just been placed on the glass counter in front of her. Setting them on the tray she looked up at his sly smile and scowled playfully. "Only you would be naïve enough to think that was true."

"Didn't you just say that you thought they didn't have Pepsi in the countryside?" He continued to grin at her as he grabbed his own slices and put them on his tray. Fishing for twenty in his wallet, he handed it to the kid behind the counter. "I got this Lois, put your purse away."

"Thanks Smallville." She said. Actually she didn't have her purse on her, it was in the car. "I left my purse in the car. At least I hope so."

Clark looked at the worry in her face as he received the change. Sliding the coins into his pocket, he lifted up his tray. "It's in the car. I don't remember you bringing it in." He was sure he was right.

"I hope you're right." She said, picking up her own tray slowly and following him to find a place to sit.

The seating area was packed, but he finally managed to find a table for four. Putting his tray down, he wiped away a few leftover food crumbs that occupied the otherwise clean table. "How do you plan on buying anything without your purse?" He asked, sliding into one of the small seats. His knee banged up against the center support of the table, a loud ringing echo shooting out from below. He seethed in pain, acting of course. It seemed to work as she didn't pay attention to his little bit of lying.

"I have a credit card in my pocket. Somehow I guess I really didn't want to take my purse with me." She sat down across from him and instantly took a large bite out of one of her slices.

"You can't remember?" He was a little skeptical.

She glared at him and stuck her straw in the soft drink resting below her chin. "I was a little preoccupied with a broken door." She took another bite, forcing the mouthful into one cheek as she smirked at him

"I guess I can accept an excuse like that." He took his own large bite, the grease from the cheese dripping onto the tray below. He saw Victor and Katherine looking for them and waved a hand at them to catch their attention.

Victor worked his way between tables and people, and sat down beside Clark. The steam from his food drifted slowly into the air as he watched Kat sit down beside Lois.

"Is it Katherine, Katie, or Kat?" Lois asked, not quite comfortable by calling her by her full name. As the dark woman raised a finger as she chewed through a mouthful of food, Lois took the silence to take a stab at Clark. "I'm not like Smallville here; I can't go around calling everyone properly by name. Sound dorky." She wagged her pizza slice at him, eyebrows raised in mocking accomplishment.

"It's Kat." She said, finally swallowing her food. She ignored Lois's comment about Clark. It was very evident that he was able to give back just as well as he received.

"Sometimes people like to be called by their full name. I don't want to make a mistake and upset someone by using the wrong nickname." It was the truth. His parents had always told him to be respectful and call others by their first name unless being told otherwise. "I just have manners." He said, smiling slyly at her.

"I have manners." Lois said back hotly, her words a little edgier than she had wished.

"Oh yeah, then why is your food threatening to fall out of you mouth every time you chew?" He took another bite of his pizza, making sure to chomp heavily down onto it with his mouth closed.

Lois scowled at him yet again and ignored his comment. Well, she couldn't really ignore it; she just didn't say anything back. The evil stare she gave him was her only retort. It didn't have any effect on him as he still continued to stare right at her. "Hmph." She grunted, turning her face away in defeat. Chastising herself mentally for letting him win out, she took another drink before looking back at him. He was still staring and it was driving her up the wall. "What!" She half screamed, causing numerous glances from surrounding people.

"Nothing." He replied coolly. It certainly wasn't hard to get her riled up. She glared at him, her eyes wide in with anger and her nose twitching. "You're nose wiggles when you're angry." He said passively.

Her anger faltered suddenly. His tone of voice sounded so sincere and sweet she couldn't help but feel flattered. "Don't compliment me. I'm angry with you." She actually was, but not as much as she had seconds previously.

"Wow, could have sworn you two hated each other." Victor said.

"We do." Lois replied, never taking her eyes off Clark.

Clark spied her in another stare down. "I have no idea why we're actually dating; I think we'll end up killing each other eventually."

Lois smirked at him. "I'm only in it for the sex. I think I've made that perfectly clear."

Clark coughed violently as a piece of food got caught in his throat. Massaging his throat with a free hand he reached for his soft drink.

"What, something lodged in your throat Smallville?" She asked softly, mocking him. The corners of her mouth continued to lift as she watched him struggle to catch his breath. "He's a little bashful about our sex life." She winked to the other two sitting with them. The look on their faces wasn't much different than Clarks. "Don't tell me you're both prudes too?"

Katherine really wasn't comfortable with the way Lois was talking, but she had to admit, the woman had fight in her. "No, no." She stammered quickly. "We're just not used to talking about such things openly."

"Neither is Smallville, but I still like him." She grinned and started on her second slice.

Finally getting over his coughing fit, Clark just glared at her twinkling eyes and took another bite. Grinding the food like gravel, he flared his nostrils out convincingly. The woman would go to no lengths to push him off the edge. He had to admit though, it wasn't all bad. She tended to smile more often when she did it.

Silence rained down upon them for the rest of their meal. Not even the sound of chewing could be heard as they looked from one another. The minutes passed by painstakingly slow for Lois as she felt the urge to yell. It was her fault though she realized. She had made everything uncomfortable by talking about sex. It didn't surprise her that everyone else was unnerved. They were friends of Clarks, and he wasn't the type to make friends with people who didn't have manners. That really bothered her for some reason. Why couldn't he just have some interesting friends?

Clark could clearly see that Lois was getting bothered. The nervous looks towards him and the others around her were all the evidence he needed to know the silence was driving her crazy. Finishing up his final slice, he stood up and took his tray to the garbage. Opening up the swinging door, he shook the contents on the tray off and slipped it on top. He walked back towards them and stuck his right hand in his pocket. "Is there anything you need Lois?"

She finished her last bight and looked up at him while wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I need a dress to wear to their wedding."

"You think this relationship is going to last that long?" He asked smugly.

"No, but I just want to be prepared. Stranger things have happened." She tossed her crumpled napkin at him.

He snatched it out of the air and chuckled. "Having doubts already?"

She stood up and gave him a sideways glance. "Do push it." She said dubiously.

Putting his hands up in defense, he stepped back to let her by. He glanced to both Victor and Kat who wear shaking their head to one another. He felt a poke to his back a second later.

"I'm going shopping with Kat for a dress. You and Victor go keep yourself occupied somewhere else." Lois walked around him, her skirt hugging tightly to her bottom. She bent down just little, her rear sticking out towards him as she picked up her drink off the table.

Clark gulped, his face going a little red as she ruefully tried to seduce him. It was working. His hand almost involuntarily went to touch her, but he held himself in check. He stuffed his other hand in his pocket to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Once again he just stared at her legs. What the hell was wrong with him he wondered? When did he suddenly lose control of his urges?

Lois bent a little more than necessary to make sure he noticed. It was strange, but she could feel his eyes on her backside. Turning around, she licked her straw and sucked on it seductively while looking right at him. She smirked to herself at how uncomfortable he looked. It went both ways she thought to herself.

"Let's go Lois." Katherine said, getting up away from the table.

Victor picked up both her tray and his and made his way to the garbage.

Clark watched as Lois and Kay walked away, their tall and lean bodies moving at a quick pace.

"See you later Smallville." She smiled wickedly at him, turning just enough so that she could see him.

Victor walked up behind Clark and put his hand on the larger man's shoulder. "She's going to be the death of you." He said comically.

Clark just stared at the two disappearing women. "I sure hope so."

Victor just shook his head and laughed. "Come on Clark. We have to find something to do."

"You don't want to shop do you?" Clark asked, hoping to god that he didn't.

"No." Victor said seriously. "I can't stand shopping. To tell you the truth, I don't have a clue what we should do."

"How about we go and find some trouble." He really didn't believe he just said that.

Victor raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Trouble? I didn't think you were a criminal Clark."

"No. I mean let's go find some trouble and put a stop to it. I need to get Lois out of my head."

"Oh." Victor said loudly. "She's in love with you." He said as they made towards the mall exit.

Clark almost tripped over his own feet. Struggling to keep his balance, he fumbled for the door. "What would make you say that?" He asked with a shaky voice. Lois was in love with him? Yeah right. "We've only been dating one day and you're going so far as to boldly declare such a thing?"

Victor shrugged as they stepped outside. The clouds were still hovering low, but the rain had stopped. "I don't know Clark; there is something between you two that is entirely unique."

"What, the fact that we're at each others throat all the time?" He tone was serious as he began to walk down the sidewalk.

"That's part of it. I've never seen two people enjoy bickering so much. Most people would consider it cruel, but both of you seem to think its foreplay." Victor stopped, looked both ways and crossed the small street in front of the mall.

Clark found the car and unlocked it and threw his bags on the back seat. "You want to run? Or would you rather we drive?"

Victor looked up at the clouds. "Drive I think."

"Good choice." Clark replied, getting into the car. "How long do you think they'll take to find something?"

Victor pondered the question carefully as he slipped on his seatbelt. "Can't rightly say, but I would assume a while. If Kat has her way they'll hit every store in the mall."

"Good." Clark said, his voice low. Turning on the car, he turned on the wipers to remove the remaining water on the windshield. He pulled out of the parking lot and drove towards the downtown core of Metropolis.

"Where are we going?" Victor asked, staring ahead at the road.

Clark's jaw went rigid as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "There are two people I need to speak with."

Victor could see the strain in Clark's eyes. "Something tells me you want to do more than speak with them."

He shrugged, not supplying an answer.

"What'd they do?"

Clark looked over at his strong friend. "They tried to kill me."

Victor didn't recognize Clark for a second. There was something that seemed unbalanced about him. "And what exactly are you going to do to them?" He was concerned.

"I'm not sure; I'm still making up my mind. I killed one of them already, and I intend to get to the bottom of why they wanted me dead."

Victor's eyes went wide at Clark's sudden admission of murder. "You killed someone?" He asked nervously. He was suddenly afraid for his own well being.

"Well, no." Clark said. "I actually didn't do anything to her. She tried to take my powers, but something blocked her. The impact from what stopped her caused her to fly into the barn wall and break her neck."

He was relieved to hear that. Victor couldn't believe that Clark was a cold blooded murderer. "So what stopped them?" He asked.

"I have no idea Victor. That's partly the reason why I need to talk to them." He loosened his grip on the steering wheel and calmed down. "So many questions, yet so few answers." He sighed a second later.

"Can they hurt you?" Victor asked as he got more intrigued.

"I don't really know. They're strong and posses some kind of abilities, but they really haven't shown that they can hurt me yet."

Victor's eyebrows arched in confusion. "Where did all this confidence come from? Last time I saw you, you were all tied up pondering about Lana. What's gotten into you?"

Clark was tired of people asking him that question. The truth was he didn't really know himself, but it didn't really matter. Much like Lois, he was enjoying his new found confidence too much to care about where it had come from.

"Clark?" Victor asked when he didn't respond. "What's gotten into you?" He asked again.

"Lois." He said suddenly, a grin cracking his lips as he drove his foot harder into the gas pedal.

The sky opened up again as the car was swallowed up by the high rise buildings of downtown Metropolis.


	27. Chapter 27

Ch. 27

Lois eyed a very fetching red dress, but wrinkled her nose at the price "I wish things weren't so expensive." She sighed heavily, her eyes lingering on the manikin.

"That's a really pretty dress." Kat said, standing beside her with a bag in hand. She had bought a few sweaters earlier, but they were still hunting for a dress. "Hard thing is that you don't how many times you'll end up wearing it, whether or not the price would be worth it."

Lois was torn. She knew Clark would drool over the thing on her, but she also knew that she would almost empty her bank account to get the darn thing. She let out another long sigh, still not sure if she wasn't to pursue or not.

Kat watched her stand looking through the front windows at the dress. "You can go in and try it on a least. There's no way you can decide whether or not you want it if you haven't tried it on.

"You're right." Lois agreed, walking into the store and looking for an attendant who could provide her what she needed.

"May I help you young lady?" A very proper and curt older woman asked.

"Yes." Lois replied. She turned and pointed to the dress in the display at the front of the store. "I was wondering if I could try on that red dress in your display. That's if you have any in stock of course." She added politely. Never in a million years did she ever think she would be acting with good manners, but the situation seemed to warrant it. Clark was rubbing off on her even more.

"I'll be right back with a couple of sizes and you can try them on."

Lois watched as the woman disappeared into the back room. She turned to Kat with a bemused look on her face. "I'm surprised I didn't get a cold look because of what I'm wearing."

"You were being very polite Lois; older people tend to pick up on that."

Lois grunted to herself. She was suddenly feeling very insecure about her nice remarks. "Damn Smallville, he always tells me the same thing. Show respect and manners and everyone will be nice to you in return." She let the words hang off her mouth sarcastically.

"I won't recite the biblical line if that's what you're asking?" Kat joked. Lois sly smile made her wink back in return.

"You give back almost as well a Clark." She laughed. "Good to know that your husband to be won't be marrying a boring woman."

Kat chuckled with her. She really liked Lois; the woman had spirit and determination. "Well I don't think we'd go as far as to bicker like you and Clark do, but we have fun none the less."

Lois shrugged. "Smallville and I just bicker to keep things interesting. I always win though, so I can't stop."

"You don't think it goes a little too far sometimes." Kat thought back to the incident at the table earlier that almost caused Clark to choke to death.

"We've went pretty far before, even said some very hurtful things by accident. There's always that knowledge that it wasn't really meant, so it's fairly slack as to how far the boundaries go"

Kat frowned. "What about earlier at the table?"

Lois smiled to herself suddenly. "I caught him off guard is all. Like I said before, Smallville is the biggest prude this side of the Atlantic.

"What's with calling him Smallville all the time?" She asked.

Lois looked at Katherine and shrugged. "I don't know, just suits him well. With all his running around and saving people I figured it only made sense. He is everywhere when he shouldn't be."

Kat's eye's narrowed. She knew about Clark's abilities, he had trusted Victor to tell her. Lois seemed to just accept Clark's weird appearances and behavior as second nature. More than a little curious, she decided to pry. "You don't have any suspicions about his whole hero complex?"

"I used to when I first met him. I couldn't help but wonder why he would try to protect and save people without even knowing them. He always expected nothing in return, and he was even protective of me."

"You don't seem like the kind of person who needs protection." Kat said with a grin.

"I don't, but it took me a while before I realized that he just cared. I had always thought it was just a jealousy thing, but I came to realized that he wasn't like others, he genuinely cared about my well being." Lois chuckled suddenly. "He showed me more attention in those first few days than my father had in years."

"Well you're not the only woman to fall for the helpful and mild mannered type." She was smiling wide at Lois.

"I didn't fall for Smallville." Lois shot back quickly. "We just started dating." Her defenses were up in full force. Problem was this wasn't Clark; it was another woman with wit to match her own. It wasn't often she met a woman who could match her eye for an eye. Chloe was smart, but incredibly naïve, and Lana, well, Lana was just Lana.

Kat grinned at Lois's uneasiness. "You were friends for two years and-."

"One year." Lois interrupted. She didn't really count their first year knowing each other as friendly. She had honestly thought he was strange and weird. She now regretted how she felt back then.

"Okay one." Kat said, rolling her eyes.

"Don't roll you eyes at-."

"Don't get your heels caught in a bunch Dorothy. Let me finish." Kat interjected.

Lois smiled, she was really liking this woman. "Sorry, you were saying."

"Thank you." Kat replied with a sly grin. "Now where was I? Ah yes. You and Clark were friends for to two years." Lois opened her mouth to speak, but she shut her up by holding up two fingers emphatically. "And in that time you got closer and closer. You might think this is your first date, but the truth is you were already in a relationship. You two spent all your time together; you shared almost everything with one another. Whether you want to believe it or not, the reason you're now dating him is that you actually realized that you had fallen for him. If only somewhat."

Lois continued to grin. Kat was not only quick witted, but incredibly clever. "I guess your right." She said to her with a sideways glance. "I'm going to have to warn Victor about you."

Kat laughed at that. "Don't worry; I have the feeling I'll be saying the same thing to Clark about you."

Smirking, Lois ripped her attention away from her friend to the mature woman who was signaling to her back by the change rooms. "Well, guess it's time to see if I've gone up a dress size."

"Why? You're not pregnant are you?" Kat asked with a grin. The look she received from Lois caused her smile to falter. "Too far?" She asked.

"Yes." Lois said with a shaky voice. That word scared the living hell out of her. She silently thanked heavens that she was on the pill. A shiver ran up her spine and reached her shoulders. She shook them to try and get the cold feeling to disappear.

Kat put warm hand on her shoulder for comfort. "I'm sorry Lois, I didn't mean to go that far."

Lois shrugged from under her hand. "That's okay Kat. You really just surprised me is all." She took the dresses from the women and politely added a thank you. Closing the door behind her, she set them down on the bench.

Kat stood by the door and waited for Lois to come out. She was feeling really bad about what she had said. There was no malicious intent to it, but somehow she got the feeling Lois didn't feel that way. She sighed heavily.

"Would the young lady like to see the shoes that go with that dress?"

She snapped out of her thinking to notice the older women standing in front of her. "Oh, yes. That would be great." She knocked on the dressing room door. "Lois, what's your shoe size?"

"Um, eight and a half I think." She said, struggling to get one of the dresses on.

Kat turned back to the women to make sure she got it. She smiled as the women nodded and headed back into the storage room for a pair. Her eyes slowly moved around the store, admiring all the beautiful dresses and clothes that lined the walls and the racks. She couldn't be jealous though, the one she had bought was much more expensive and white. Her phone rang suddenly, and she grabbed it out of her purse. Flipping it open, she recognized the flash as Victors. "Hi Honey." She said sweetly. "Okay, I'll let her know."

Lois looked at herself in the small mirror in the change room. The dress was the perfect size. It was a tight fitting number that went to her knees. The fashionable v-neck cut was perfect for her breast size. She smiled to herself and went out to show Kat. She noticed the woman was on her cell phone, so she didn't interrupt her.

"Oh, Lois needs my help. I'll see you later. Love you sweetie." She said to Victor, flipping the phone shut and tapping it on her bottom lip. Her gaze lingered up and down on the dress. "I think Clark will love it."

"You think so?" Lois asked, turning towards another mirror. "I'm not a big fan of red, but I know he has a soft spot for it." She admired herself for a few lingering seconds. It was true, Clark would love it. She would have felt a little more comfortable if it was black, maybe even blue, but she ignored herself. "How about those shoes?" She asked, turning around to look at Kat once again.

"Right here miss."

Lois jumped and put a hand to her chest. "You scared me there." She smiled weakly, turning around and graciously taking the red stilettos from the older woman. "Wow, these are almost as beautiful as the dress." She said. The shoe consisted of only half inch lines of red material that maneuvered around in every direction to make it look like a shoe. There was only one small line to keep her heel in. She slipped on the right foot shoe, her big toe sliding into and through the hole perfectly. A second later she had the other stiletto on. Brushing the wrinkles from the dress, she stood in front of the mirror.

Kat couldn't help but gape at the way Lois looked. The way the shoes complemented the dress was uncanny. Lois had the perfect body for such a dress. She was even a little jealous. "Wow." She said, finally able to get something out.

Lois's cheeks went almost a rosy as the dress when she heard the compliment. "I look good?" She asked, slightly bashful.

"Clark is going to faint." She said back with a smile.

"I hope not." Lois replied. "I need someone who can keep up with me at the wedding." She admired herself a little more, twirling like a schoolgirl in a princess dress.

Kat laughed as she watched Lois spin. "Trust me; I think once he gets over the initial shock, he'll be okay." There was something in the way Lois was acting that made her realize that Lois was falling for Clark, hard. She had seen it before. It was the same bubbly attitude she had when Victor and herself were dating. "Victor called to say that He and Clark took off downtown."

Lois turned to Katherine and scowled. "Let me guess, they took my car."

She nodded back.

"Clark." Lois grumbled. "I should never have let him keep the keys." She said aimlessly, staring back into the mirror.

"Is this the dress you would like to purchase?" She woman beside her asked, staying oblivious to the two young woman's conversation.

"Please." Lois said, still absolutely enthralled with herself. She smiled wide again, knowing full well that Clark was going to be speechless at the site of her. Removing the shoes, she struggled to keep her balance. She had once shoe in her hand and looked up to Kat. "Did they say where they were going?"

Kat furrowed her brow. "Actually, no, he didn't." Her mood lightened suddenly. "Don't worry; I'm sure they're just going to one of his fathers many sports stores."

"I was wondering what Victor did for a living." Lois said, removing the last shoe and giving it to the woman beside her. She turned back to Kat. "I assume he works at one of them?"

"Yep, he is the manager at the largest one downtown. Keeps him busy, but he enjoys it since he can't play football anymore."

"Injury?" Lois asked.

"I guess you can say that." Kat replied. Her heart dropped a little at thinking how her fiancé had to give up football. "At least he's happy now though, he was a little downtrodden when he couldn't play anymore."

"Sounds like Smallville. He gave up football, but he loved it. I swear he misses it everyday of day of his life." She frowned along with Kat. "His reasons for quitting sound so stupid though. That's maybe why I don't believe him when he says he didn't think it was what he wanted to do for a living." She let out a raspy sigh. "I guess he'll tell me why he really quit when he wants too."

Kat felt sorry for Lois. She knew exactly why Clark had really quit football. Victor and Clark had many things in common, and it pained her to know that Lois and Clark were still not being completely honest with each other. Luckily they were good enough friends that they accepted the faults and strange things about one another. She just hoped one day that Clark could trust Lois with his secret. It had taken her a while to realize that not everyone's relationships were like her and Victors. Most people weren't so open and trusting. Clark and Lois seemed happy around each other, and she would be sad if they didn't work out.

"Do you know why he quit?" Lois asked, giving up in exasperation.

Kat pondered her words carefully. Now Clark had her lying for him. She hated the feeling, so she told the truth. "Clark's reasons for giving up football were same as Victors I think." It was the truth, but she knew that was not exactly what Lois was after.

Too frustrated with Kat's answer, Lois just walked back into the dressing room. There were too many things she didn't know about Clark, yet for some reason she always felt as if she could wait. "What's wrong with you?" She muttered to herself. "Lanes don't wait for answers."

-

"What are you up to these days?" Clark asked, his eyes focusing on the traffic light in front of him. He hadn't talked to Victor recently and was curious.

"Not too much." Victor said, frowning at the rain as it continued to fall. "I'm managing one of the many stores my father owns."

"Sports stores right?"

"Yeah."

Clark watched as the light turned green and he pushed on the gas pedal with his foot. He watched as they passed the Daily Planet, the doors busy with people rushing in and out of the building. "Ever get tired of the hustle and flow of the city?" He asked.

"Much too often." He replied back seriously. "It's not like football, so many things to worry about. When you're out there on the field, it's peaceful, but life is so much more difficult." He sighed, there wasn't too much about the city that he liked anymore. He loved his job, and he loved his girlfriend, but he didn't really love Metropolis. He was much like his father who had grown up in the country. He lived in the city for convenience, but he was truly a small town man at heart. "Sometimes I wish I could just escape the city and live a peaceful life in the country."

Clark nodded his understanding. "I get the feeling that our lives will never be peaceful. Like my father has always told me. With great power comes great responsibility." He grinned at his own words. His father had told him that many years ago, and how just how true they seemed now. "Hey, you can always move to Smallville." He joked.

Victor laughed with him. "After how many strange things happen there, I get the feeling that peaceful is hard to come by."

Clark laughed loudly. "Too true." He said, his laugh dieing down to a small chuckle. With his weekly routine of helping others and getting rid of all the strange things in Smallville, he tended to forget that it was strange. It had jut become a way of life, a way of life that he was extremely comfortable with. A few months ago he wouldn't have thought about it that way, but he knew it was Lois that made him feel that way now.

"So, what part of the city are we heading for? Not the suicide slums I hope." Victor flashed a sly grin.

"No, the place we're looking for is in the rich part of town. A house to be exact, but I'm not quite sure where it is exactly." Clark turned right, towards to part of the city that sloped upwards.

"Who exactly is it you're looking for. What do they look like? I might have seen them before. I do live up here you know."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you had that much money Victor."

Victor shrugged. "When your father owns a successful sports store franchise, you tend to live pretty well. Don't worry Clark; I'm not corrupt like your friend Lex."

That was something he didn't really want to speak of, but he had no choice. "As much as you think Lex was directly responsible for what happened to you Victor, you have to realize, that without his help, you wouldn't be alive."

"I know that Clark, but I'm still skeptical of the man. He didn't seem as if he was trying to help, he seemed as if he wanted to create his own weapon."

Clark nodded silently. Lex was secretive by nature, as much as himself even, but his mind wasn't as closed minded when it came to Lex anymore. "He's a different man than you think he is. It's strange, but both he and his father have changed a lot over the course of a year."

Victor took in Clarks words with a grain of salt. "Is that what they want you to believe?"

Clark could only shrug. "They've done some pretty despicable things I'll admit, but they haven't done anything in a long time that gets me worried."

"Well Clark, I'll trust your word, but that doesn't mean I'll ever trust them." He would never forget the time he spent apart from Katherine while he was being experimented on. He knew it had all saved his life, but he would always bitter about the pain he had endured.

"Do you have any problems with your…you know?" He said softly.

Victor's eyebrows shot up. "No, I don't have any problems with my bionics, but sometimes I think I might need a transfusion or something. I feel as if I get tired a little earlier than I used."

"Maybe I'll talk to Lex about it, see if we can get you in for a check up." Clark wasn't too sure why he said it, but it sounded reassuring. "He's shut down the whole operation, but I know he can get in touch with the right people to make sure your fine."

Victor was wary of Clark's words, but he knew the man was only worried about his well being. "Maybe." He said slowly. "Kind of feels like I'm a car that needs an oil change." He laughed suddenly, releasing the tension that was slowly enveloping them.

Clark laughed with him at his admission. "Don't worry; at least you don't get sick being around a rock."

Snorting out a chuckle, Victor bent his knee and rested his wrist on it. "So, what do these women look like?" He asked, getting back to what they had originally been talking about.

"Two blond twins, well, one blond twin, and a brunette. Incredibly good looking, and all sisters." He wasn't sure he would find them, but the surprised look on Victors face told him he might. "You know them?" He asked, surprised.

"I do." Victor said. "They live just down the road from me." He was incredibly surprised. "Very beautiful women indeed, but I'm confused why you would be hung up in trouble with them. They seemed like good people."

Clark passed a small truck as he worked his way up the small cliff towards the more fancier homes of Metropolis. "They seemed like good people when I met them too." He continued to explain the whole situation to Victor, how they tried to kill him and how Lex hired them.

Victor sat there listening intently. He wasn't surprised about stories of a dark nature anymore; he had been through too many things himself to be frightened. When Clark finished, he sighed deeply. "Do you think Lex had a hand in hurting you?'

Clark shook his head vehemently. "No, I don't think he did." He tried to push those lingering thoughts from his head. He should be trying to think the best of Lex. The man was dating a good friend of his. Problem was, there was so much past involved with Lex that he couldn't completely ignore his gut. "I'll settle with getting to the bottom of this before I think about that."

"Okay, but I don't know exactly how much you should be trusting him." Victor was still trying to get his point across to Clark.

He was tired of Victor's words about Lex, so he ignored the question. "So, where is the house?"

"Just up ahead." He pointed, as they passed enormous trees and gated laneways.

Clark stared in awe at the enormous houses and shrubbery that lined the road. There was something inside him that told him he could have all this if he wanted to. Those thoughts disappeared as he shook his head. Why would he want something like this, it just wasn't him. "Which one?' He asked sharply.

Victor sat back and looked at Clark. There was something about his demeanor that had suddenly changed. No longer was there any doubt in his eyes, something foreign and powerful made its presence. "Clark, are you alright?" He asked.

"Which house?" Clark asked again, his voice grave and low.

"That one." Victor pointed out hesitantly. He felt the car slow down as he watched Clark take his seatbelt off and reach to open the door. He quickly gripped Clark by the arm. "If these women have powers like you say, you're going need a plan Clark."

Clark tried to rip his arm out of his grasp, but Victor held strong. "I don't need a plan. I'm going to do what I feel is right." He tried to rip his arm out his grip again, this time with more power. He growled as he felt Victor grip even harder to keep him there.

"Clark, do you even know what's right anymore?" His voice was shaking. Clark's eyes seemed to stare deep into his soul, tearing it into a thousand pieces.

He faltered suddenly, his eyes wide. "I'm sorry Victor; I don't know what came over me."

"That's okay Clark, don't worry about it." He lied, he was incredibly worried about it, The look he got had scared him to death, and he certainly wasn't one to get scared very often. "We need a plan; we just can't walk in there and demand answers."

"We?' Clark asked. "Oh no, I'm letting you help. I couldn't put you in harms way."

Victor laughed. "I'm not just a normal guy Clark. I can take care of myself if you remember." He let go of his arm and opened the car door and got out. He closed the door and rested his arms on the hood, looking across at Clark. "Now, let's follow my lead. I've met them before. The best way to get let in is if I lie to them. Keep yourself hidden because everyone of these places has security cameras everywhere. When I get to the house's front doors, you speed over to me. As long as the girls don't answer the door, we should be let in."

Clark nodded and closed the car door as he watched Victor walk towards the front gate. Something in the back of his mind told him he might not be able to control himself, and that frightened him more than two women with abilities ever could.


	28. Chapter 28

Ch. 28

Chloe was bored. She had spent all morning at the Luthor mansion with Lana. It would have been much more bearable if Lex and Andrea didn't have their tongues down each others throat. It had gotten to the point where both she and Lana had gotten so fed up they simply left without saying anything.

They pulled slowly in the Kent farm, the windows rolled up as the clouds looked threatening above them.

Pulling up to the truck by the house, Chloe exited her vehicle and took a deep breath. "You know, I don't think I could have taken any more of Lex and Andrea."

Lana shut the door and nodded. "I had had enough after about a minute." She stretched her back with her hands on her hips. "Well, we might as well go and knock on the door." She trudged towards the porch steps, Chloe only a few feet behind. She reached for the door and knocked on it a few times."

They were both greeted with a smile from one Martha Kent. Opening the door, Martha ushered them inside. "Lana, Chloe, come in, please." She watched as the two smiling women came in and took off their shoes. "So, what do we have the pleasure of meeting you fine ladies today?" She asked, still smiling at them.

Chloe spoke first. "We were back for a visit, and thought that visiting the Kent farm was too hard to pass up." She smiled as Martha wrapped her in a tight hug.

"I'm glad you came." Martha said, letting go of Chloe and hugging Lana.

Lana felt a little uncomfortable in the embrace. She shouldn't have, but she found it strange that Clark's mom was still friendly to her, especially after Clark and she had broken up. "We're more than glad to be here." She said awkwardly, getting released from the hug a second later.

"Have you had lunch yet?" Martha asked, looking at them.

"Actually, no." Chloe said, looking to the floor in embarrassment.

"Well, then come in and I'll you both a sandwich. There is plenty more food in the fridge if you're hungry for something else." Martha worked her way over to the cupboard and fished out two plates, setting them on the counter by the butter.

Jonathon came down the stairs a second later, finishing tying up his belt. "Dear, now that Clark and Lois are out of the house, maybe we should take the opportunity to be-"

"Jonathon." Martha exclaimed loudly.

His head went up suddenly at the loud mention of his name. His eyes widened in shock as he saw Lana and Chloe standing at the island. "Hello Chloe, Lana." He said quickly, hiding his embarrassment. He knew full well that they knew what he was going to say. He reached the bottom of the stairs and went to the fridge. Fishing for the milk, he stood up and looked at the two rosy cheeked patrons in the now ever increasing uncomfortable kitchen. "Have you had lunch yet?" He asked.

Lana gulped for air as she shook her head. The thought of Mrs. And Mr. Kent…She let the thought disappear. She could never see them doing that. They were the perfect couple.

Chloe rescued Lana from complete embarrassment as she answered quickly. "No, Mrs. Kent just offered us some and we graciously accepted." She looked over to Martha who was still smiling; the only hint of embarrassment was the red on her neck. It was hard to notice because of her red hair, but she saw it.

"What would you girls like on your bread?" Martha asked, looking at them, waggling a knife in her hand.

"Just butter and some jam." Chloe said unevenly. "Please."

"Cheeze Whiz please." Lana said a second later.

"Honey?" Martha asked, turning to Jonathon, who was about to drink from the carton. "Now I know where Clark gets that from." She smiled slyly, looking over at the two girls that were almost giggling.

Jonathon eyed his wife and set the milk on the counter. He turned, opened the fridge and got what Martha needed. Setting both the jam jar and the cheese whiz on the island counter, he proceeded to grab a glass from the counter above the sink.

Marhta slapped what she need onto their sandwiches and threw another slice on top of each one. "Anything to drink?" She asked, closing the lids on both jars.

"No." Chloe said abruptly, taking her sandwich and taking a bite. "I think we'll go play with Shelby outside." She was incredibly uncomfortable with the situation. She could also see Lana nodding her head vehemently along with her.

"Okay, but come back in if you need anything else." Martha watched as the two of them nodded and walked out the front door, almost tripping over one another. Turning to her husband, she gave him a quick scowl. "You should look around before blurting anything out."

Jonathon just shrugged and put the milk back in the fridge. "It's not my fault they decided to show up." He grinned as he took a good gulp from the glass. "Plus, the expression on both of there faces was worth it."

"Jonathon!" Martha exclaimed suddenly, her voice high and disproving. She put the jars back in the fridge and just glared at her husband. The twinkle was still in his eyes after more than twenty years.

Chloe bit down furiously onto her sandwich as she tried to get her mind off of very disturbing things.

"That was very uncomfortable." Lana stated as she followed Chloe towards the barn. She was feeling too strange to even eat her food. Looking at the sandwich, she took a cautious bite. "I doubt that I'll be able to keep this thing down."

Chloe just ignored her question, unable to continue to let the image settle in her mind. "Let's just eat up in the loft." She quickened her pace as she saw a laboring dog head towards them. "Shelby!" She exclaimed, sticking her food in her mouth as she bent down and scratched behind the ears of the barking animal. She smiled through the sandwich as Shelby continued to wag his tail back and forth furiously. Getting up of her knee, she brushed her hands off on her pants and grabbed the food hanging from her mouth.

Lana just ignored Shelby. Truth was she was never really fond of the animal. Stepping past Chloe, she walked into the barn and towards the stairs. There was no sun out, so the barn was dark. She trudged up the stairs and turned on one of the few lights that occupied Clark's sanctuary. Looking around the loft, she let out a large sigh.

Chloe walked up the stairs and almost bumped into Lana at the top as she played with Shelby. "Lana, are you all right?" She asked, straightening herself as she looked around. The place was as neat as ever and there seemed to be a layer of dust on everything. Noticing the hay window open, she walked over and closed it just in case it rained. She turned around to look at the loft from her new angle. Surprisingly, everything looked exactly the same.

"I haven't been up here in almost four months." Lana said longingly. Her eyes lingered on the sofa where she and Clark had both lost their virginity. She fought back the tears that were welling up in her ayes as she painfully remembered their horrendous breakup. Her feet dragged across the floor as she made her way over to his desk.

Chloe made her way towards Lana and followed her to Clark's desk. "It looks like no one has been up here in a while." She said, wiping her finger on the desk and blowing the dust off her finger.

"No." Lana said suddenly. "Someone has." She reached out and picked up a picture frame. She stared at it for a minute, not wanting to take her eyes from it. There was no dust on it at all.

Chloe spied Lana staring at a picture frame, her eyes not moving anywhere else. "He doesn't still have that picture of you on his desk does he?" She hoped that his earlier words were not backpedaling at that moment. He had said he and Lana were over. Even Lois had said it.

Lana shook her head and gave the frame to Chloe with an outstretched hand. "That's not me in the picture frame." She said weakly.

Chloe frowned and took the picture frame. Turning it over, she lost her grin at who occupied the small golden frame. Her cousin, Lois in all her tank top greatness was smiling, her arm around Clark's shoulders as both of them smiled for the camera. Clark was in nothing other than a white t-shirt as the picture only showed them from their midriff up. Something about the picture caused Chloe's stomach to flop unexpectedly. Maybe it was the fact that they were actually touching each other, or the fact that they seemed genuinely happy, but it was strange none the less. "Lois said they were becoming good friends." She said, settling the picture back to its original place on the desk, the space that had once been occupied by Lana's picture.

Lana just continued to stare at the picture. A thousand things ran through her mind as she tried to piece them together. "You don't think they're, you know?" Her heart was tearing apart as soon as she finished her question.

Chloe didn't know what to say back. The parts of her that wanted to say no were staying quiet for some reason, while her mind screamed yes at her over and over. Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts out and tried to reassure Lana. "I don't think so. I know Lois; she would never have anything to do with Clark. He's not her type of man." She glanced back to the photo. The two smiling figures seemed as if they were staring right into her soul, making her feel as if her words were nothing but lies.

"They did have sex." Lana said, each word coming out with great difficulty. She so badly wanted to believe Chloe, but the picture wasn't helping. Each smile seemed to look as if they were mocking her, their eyes peering into her heart and ripping it into a million pieces.

"I know." Chloe said with a shaky voice. "You have to remember though, everyone gets caught up in the moment. Everyone does things that they regret."

Lana did still not believe Chloe's words, and from the sound of the young blond's voice, she was struggling to believe it too. "I don't know Chlo, they seem awfully happy together." She pointed to the picture and took a sharp inhale, as if she was about to cry.

Chloe shook her head in defiance; making herself believe what she knew was true. "Friends take pictures all the time. We've been gone for a long time Lana; we couldn't expect to stay his best friends." Her own words began to eat away at her heart too. Lois had usurped her in the friendship department. Her jealousy was becoming too much and she turned away from the desk. "Clark and Lois are just friends." She said to Lana, but more or less to herself too.

"I don't know Chloe, that picture-."

Chloe cut Lana off before both of them could continue to wildly speculate. "I saw both of them this morning. They acted as if nothing happened. That only reaffirms my argument that they're not involved romantically. Neither of them would shrug it off in that way if there was real feeling there. You know Clark; he just doesn't act normal around someone if he's in love with them." Her mind had finally convinced herself she was right.

Lana took her words and thought about them for a second. She was right of course. If Clark was even remotely interested in Lois, he wouldn't be able to stand anywhere near her and act like himself. "You're right Chloe. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I do." Chloe said, turning around and looking at a relieved Lana. "We are both loosing the only man in our life that we cherish more than anyone. How can we not be upset about that?"

Lana let a somber tear fall to the floor. "I just don't know where everything went wrong. For the longest time we were apart, pining for each other, and then once we're together, he breaks up with me." She dug the heel of her hands into her eyes and rubbed them in confusion. "God how I wish things were back like they used to be."

Chloe almost laughed at Lana's words. The woman was pining for Clark still, even after she knew it would never happen. Chloe even knew she and Clark never had a chance, and she had come to accept that. "Lana, it's over between you and Clark. Just be happy that you might be able to save your friendship." Chloe didn't believe her own words. There was no likelihood that Clark would care to remain friends with the poor girl. He seemed fed up with the selfish little girl. "Don't forget, he has a date tonight. I think that's grounds for moving on, don't you think?"

Lana bobbed her head down in defeat. Clark had actually moved on, and her window had finally been slammed shut. "I will try my best Chloe." She let a sob rack her body as she dropped a few more tears. "It was supposed to be perfect." She said in one last attempt to convince herself it wasn't actually over. "We were supposed to go to University together, live together and live the rest of our days in bliss."

Chloe had had it with Lana's whining. With a loud stomp of her foot, she took off down the stairs in anger. She went straight to the house, not her car. Walking faster, she opened the porch door and slipped her shoes off. With her anger still in check, she felt like slamming a door. She made her way up the top of the stairs to Clark's room. With a defiant act, she slammed the door behind her in one smooth motion.

Jonathon looked at his wife with one raised eyebrow.

"Bathroom." Martha muttered. It was the only answer.

She spun around the room and glared at anything she could destroy. It wasn't her house, yet Lana made her feel as if she needed to strangle something. She was so fed up that she almost ended their friendship right then in there. Thankfully she had stormed out in time. Her eyes rested on an old flannel shirt that seemed to be stuffed into a corner by the closet. It looked like it hadn't been worn in a year, so she presumed I would be perfect for tearing apart. Walking over, she yanked it, but was actually tied to something. She yanked harder and the shirt finally popped out of a good sized hole in the bottom of the wall. It must have been there to keep mice from getting into the room. She was about to turn away when she saw something glitter in the hole. Frowning, she reached in and pulled something out.

Moving over to the bed, she sat down and blew the dust off the object. It was an old shoebox with the word "memories" written on it with a large black marker. She turned it over to see if there was anything written underneath of it, but there wasn't. Her anger had disappeared after her discovery, but it still lingered somewhat. Thoughts of evading Clark's privacy ran ramped through head, but her investigative nature was pulling at her too hard. She opened the box and peered in. Inside were dozens of photos, thrown about the box as if given little regard. She picked one out and looked at it. She smiled as she recognized it. In the picture stood Lois, herself, and the General at his appreciation dinner commemorating his thirty years in the service. They all looked so happy. It was one of the rare times her uncle had actually smiled.

She picked out another picture and looked at it. It was Lois and herself at a park. In the background she could see the empire state building from their trip to New York. She smiled again and set it down. These were Lois's memories, not Clarks. Again she rummaged through countless photos, surprised that her cousin even kept such things. Lois was never one to keep things from the past. After looking at numerous pictures, she found a small clump near the bottom that had an elastic band around it. Frowning, she picked up the collection of photos and took off the elastic band.

The pictures were facing her backwards so she flipped them over. She looked at the picture with moot surprise. She flipped to another, then another. They were all basically the same. They showed Clark and Lois together, smiling at different places as they posed for the camera. She recognized many of the settings, the caves, Lex's mansion, Smallville high, and interesting enough, the farm. Each picture had them smiling. Chloe was confused how so many pictures had been taken. She was the only one who did so often enough for there to be so many.

She couldn't help but smile as she looked at more pictures of Clark and Lois. Her cousin had had a very hard life and the pictures seemed to show as if she had found a family. There were also pictures of Lois with Jonathon and Martha, but her smile was never greater when she was pictured with Clark. The photos raised so many questions in her mind, but for some reason all she could do was smile for Lois. If being around Clark and his family mad her cousin happy, she had no rite to be jealous of Lois. Tears began to form in her eyes as she looked at one particular picture that had all four, Martha, Jonathon, Clark, and Lois in it. It seemed like a family portrait. They were in front of the house, just after Clark and his father had fixed it after the meteor shower.

She heard footsteps and before she could close the box, Martha stepped in.

"Chloe?" Martha asked, opening the door and looking at the blond woman sitting on Clark's bed. She smiled wide as she saw the shoebox in Chloe's hands. "They're really good photos aren't they?" She asked, sitting down beside the teary eyed woman on the bed.

"You know about them?" Chloe asked, wiping away a few tears.

"Of course I know about the pictures Chloe. I clean this house often enough to know when things are out of place in my son's room, even if Lois is staying here." She plucked a picture out of the box and stared at it. "This was just after we finished repairing the house after the meteor shower." She smiled wider in remembrance. "I don't think there has been a happier day in my life.

"Lois really is like a daughter to you?" Chloe asked, almost jealous.

Martha nodded her head and put the picture back. "She is my daughter Chloe. There is not a day in my life that I don't think otherwise. Sometimes I think she was sent here by an angel to make all our lives better. I know she would scoff at such words, but it's true. We all love her." She could feel a tear almost form in her eye as she spied the numerous pictures of Clark and Lois in her hand. "Those pictures are my favorite." Martha said, taking them from Chloe's hand and looking through them.

"When did they become so close?" She asked the older women, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Right after he broke up with Lana." Martha sighed and gave pictures another glance. "She made it her mission to keep him from moping." Her smile grew even wider suddenly. "Of course, I had to push them both to spend more time with each other; otherwise they wouldn't even talk to each other. Lois wasn't really happy that Clark couldn't buck up like she would, but you and I both know why Clark acts the way he does."

Chloe nodded as she sifted through some more photos.

"Well, after I explained some things to Lois, nothing about Clark's secret, but enough to make her realize that she was giving him a hard time, she made it her mission to help him. She said after all the times he had helped her, she owed it to him to try and help him for a change." Martha put the elastic band back around the photos and placed them neatly in the box. She put the top on and set it beside herself and looked over at a somber Chloe. "I know that you feel horrible that you're not around Chloe, and I know you feel as if you're betraying Clark somehow, but you must realize he's not as bad off as you think."

"I know Mrs. Kent, but I just feel that I should have been there for him too. I keep kicking myself thinking that he had to get through it all by himself. I never thought Lois would be the one to get him to open up." She was feeling jealous again, but it didn't feel as bad as it did before. "I hate feeling like I do." She wiped another tear away as she stared at the door in front of her. "I thought maybe she and Clark were romantically involved." She laughed suddenly as she realized how funny it sounded once she had gotten it out of her mouth.

"Would it be so bad?" Martha asked.

Chloe thought about it for a second. With her feelings for Clark having finally been put in the past, she smiled just a little. "I guess not, but I just don't see it happening; they're at each others throat all the time."

Martha smiled back to Chloe, but her mind was thinking the opposite. Everything to her screamed that Clark and Lois were hiding something from everyone, but she wasn't sure enough to ask them. She also knew there were two women who still harbored feeling for him, on whom was sitting beside her at that exact moment, and she knew that she had to keep her own suspicions to herself for the time being. She would share them with her husband later, but she wouldn't speak of it any other time. Gathering herself, she walked over to the hiding spot in her sons wall and slid the box back in, along with the shirt that concealed it.

Chloe stood up and sighed. There were so many things that had changed since she had left. A lot of them were for the better it seemed. The only problem was that none of them turned out better for herself, only for others.

"Now, why are you really up here?" Martha asked as she came back over towards Chloe.

"I got tired of listening to Lana whine about Clark. Ever since we've been back, she does nothing but whine and complain."

"I think you are beginning to see why Clark lost interest in that young woman."

Chloe nodded her understanding. "I just wish I could get her to shut up." She laughed suddenly.

Martha draped an arm around Chloe and gave her motherly squeeze.

The door opened and Lana stood at the doorway, her eyes red from crying. "What are you two talking about?" she asked.

Chloe slipped from Martha's arm and walked past Lana and gave her the cold shoulder. "Nothing." She said hoarsely as she passed by her black haired friend.

-

Kat waited for Lois patiently, her shoe tapping on the mall floor as she sat on a bench. She got to her feet as she watched Lois come out the store, her dress bag draped over her shoulder and her shoebox under one arm. "Can I take one of those?" She asked politely

"Please." Lois replied, handing over the shoebox. She watched as Kat slipped the box into her own bag.

"See, just enough room." Kat moved the bag to her other hand. "Now, you're going to need some nice earrings to go with that dress."

Lois groaned. "I don't have much money left, but I'm sure I have something at home that will do just fine." She desperately wanted to get a new pair, but she simply just couldn't afford it.

Kat nodded her understanding. "Well, what then do you want to do? We both have everything we came for."

"I don't know." Lois said in defeat. "Smallville took the car, so we can't really go anywhere."

"My SUV is still here. We could head to Victor's house and meet them. I'm sure they'll be done with whatever they're doing by then."

Lois shrugged. "That's up to you, I'm content on waiting for them to come back, but I'm not overly nice when I have to wait."

Kat chuckled at Lois's remark. "Okay, we'll head for Victor's and I'll phone him once we're in the vehicle."

"Sounds like a plan." Lois said cheerfully. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was already missing Clark. There was sudden pain in her gut as she remembered where Clark was going later on.

Kat opened the mall door and looked back to Lois who suddenly looked sick. "Are you okay?" She asked, crossing the street towards her vehicle.

"I don't think so." Lois said, her voice sounding dejected and angry at the same time. They reached the vehicle and Lois hung her dress from the hanger in the back seat area. Getting in the vehicle, she let out a big sigh and did up her seatbelt. "Clark agreed to go on date with another woman yesterday. It's tonight."

"You're letting him date other people." Kat was perplexed. "Clark doesn't seem like the kind of person to do that." She finished, starting the SUV up and backing out of the parking spot.

Lois knew it was her fault; she had brought it down upon herself with the secret nature of their relationship. She began to explain it all to Katherine as they headed towards Metropolis Hills, home of the wealthy.


	29. Chapter 29

Ch.29

Victor walked up to the gate, not quite sure if his plan was going to work. Something in the back of his mind told him they were dealing with something much more dangerous than Clark perceived. Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, he pushed the buzzer by the gate. Slowly a camera from above pointed towards him as a voice came through from the other side.

"_Yes?"_

"Yeah, I'm Victor Stone from just down the road. I was wondering if I could speak with one of the three women who live here?" He knew it sounded rather lame, but he didn't have anything else to go with. He waited patiently as the voice on the other side seemed to hesitate.

"_State your business and we'll see if it is important enough to tell our bosses." _

Victor frowned, bosses? This was a home, but they have must run a business out of it he guessed. He dropped the frown and quickly replied. "It's about the neighborhood and the problems with the police." He was pretty sure it was going to work. There had been a big problem with the police of Metropolis ignoring the calls from the wealthy that they had been robbed. There were wild suspicions that had been thrown around about corruption and bribery, even organized crime was mentioned. He tapped his foot impatiently.

"_Come on in sir."_ The voice form the box said.

Suddenly the large black gates opened wide, allowing him to enter. He walked cautiously along the driveway towards the front of the mansion. He had never seen the house before, the trees and the protective wall shielding the view from the street. "Come Clark." He whispered, knowing Clark was listening.

Clark sped past the gate way and reached Victor in no time. "It didn't sound like one of the woman on the intercom. Hopefully we can get in the house without a problem."

Victor nodded. "Not everyone is like my father; he is the only rich person I know that still opens the front door himself. We're likely to be ushered in and taken to a study of some kind. You said that only the girls would recognize you?" He asked Clark, more for his own sake. He wanted no surprises, but he knew there was going to be some. It was just like football he reminded himself suddenly. Things were never predictable.

Clark walked beside Victor as they made their way around a fabulous grand fountain that occupied the space between the round driveway. It all felt weird, as if something was about to spring out of the water and attack them. Forcing the nervous feeling in his stomach to disappear, he continued to walk. "Damn, and I thought my laneway was long." He snorted.

Victor laughed. "I know, but people like their privacy Clark. The farther from the road the more secure they feel." He mimicked Clark by putting his hands in his pockets. Something about the property was unsettling.

They reached the front door of the magnificent house and he rang the door bell. They waited patiently for someone to answer. With his vision, he scanned the house quickly, surveying the amount of people in it. There was more than ten people in the house, and it was too difficult to tell if any one of them were the girls. Sighing, he resigned to continue waiting for an answer at the door. A few more seconds passed before a large security guard opened the door dressed in a black suit.

"I saw only one at the gate. Who is this?" He asked annoyingly, looking over to the second man standing in front of him.

"This my friend, he was parking the car while I talked at the gate." Victor took a sharp breath, hoping they wouldn't get too suspicious. The guard eyed them suspiciously, but shrugged at them finally, letting them in.

Clark followed Victor and the guard down a lengthy hallway. He admired the obscure collection of art and rugs that aligned the wall. It all seemed foreign and disturbing, something that didn't go well together. In the far reaches of his mind, he thought he could here the faint whispers of the words help me, but he ignored it. The guard stopped at one of the many doorways in the hallway and guided them inside.

The room was adorned with bookcases everywhere; an old brown stained desk was positioned laterally to the door. He admired the professionalism of the room. There was an air of intelligence about it that he found rather invigorating. The sun peeked through a closed curtain as they each took a seat in front of the desk. Oddly enough, there were three chairs on the other side of the desk. He grinned for a second, knowing that these were the girls he was looking for.

"They should be down in a few minutes." The guard said, closing the door behind him, leaving Clark and Victor alone.

"Is this the right house?" Victor asked, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of surveillance. There was none he could see, but he knew here had to be some hidden somewhere.

Clark nodded and scanned the room with his vision. He picked up on some small cameras and audio devices that were cleverly hidden behind books, telephones, and even underneath the arms of his chair. He was going to have to be careful. With so many cameras around he would have to watch his actions. It would be much too easy to slip up and expose himself and Victor. He kept his head down and out of view of the many cameras, not allowing the chance that one of the women might look at some footage and see him sitting there.

-

She was fretting over her own outfit as she helped her younger sister zip up her dress. "We're strong, remember?" She said, her hands shaking as she slid the zipper all the way to the top. Resting a calming hand on the back of her now only sister, she steadied herself and sank back into the wheelchair. Her leg was broken right at the shin. The doctor had no idea how it had been fractured and broken without a horrible bruise, but she knew how. That boy from Smallville was to blame.

The young blond turned to her sister in the wheelchair and sat on the bed beside the mirror. "What are we going to do?" She asked, completely defeated. She had lost her twin, her sister, and most of all, her best friend. There was nowhere she could escape the pain of something so tragic and painful.

Courtney was already in her own black dress as she wheeled over to the dresser and pulled out a pearl necklace. "We're going to go to the funeral and bury our deceased sister. We will figure out what to do after that." She slipped the necklace on and let her hands rest on her shoulders as she stared into the mirror attached to the dresser. How did it ever get this far? She asked herself. Sighing, she felt her younger sister grab the handles on the back of the chair and push her towards the door.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to keep myself from crying." Mandy said down to her older sister as she wheeled her out the bedroom and into the hall.

She reached back with her hand patted Mandy's with her own. "We will cry Mandy, she was our sister, and we loved her."

Mandy let a tear drop to the floor as she felt her hand tighten on the chair handles suddenly. Her grief was replaced with anger as she fumed. They were going to get this Clark Kent if it was the last thing they ever did. "He'll pay for what he did." She seethed.

"All in good time Mandy, first we must lay our sister to rest. It is no time to get angry and do something hasty or stupid. We will grieve and then we will take care of this boy from Smallville." She let her hands rub up against the wheels as her sister pushed her forward down the long hall.

"What is it exactly that this boy has that we were unable to hurt him? Others affected with meteor rocks are usually no problem." Mandy stared ahead, but her mind was running over a million things at once.

"I have my suspicions." Courtney said as the got closer to the study where their guest was awaiting them.

"Do we have to meet with this neighbor? I don't really feel like it."

She slowly tilted her head to look up at her younger sister. "We have to remember that no matter how much we ignore the most mundane things, we must seem like nice neighbors. We can't have everyone finding out what we are really here for."

"And what are we exactly here for?" Mandy asked with a frustrated grunt.

"I told you I would tell you once we have accomplished our goal." She hated keeping things from her little sister, but the situation was much too critical and important for too many people to know. That included family, sadly."

Mandy just wheeled her sister onward as she ignored her. Her older sister had been telling them what to do the last month without even giving an explanation. In truth, she could take the lack of information before, as nothing more than just useless details, but now that her twin sister was dead, things were different. "I'm tired of doing this Courtney, I just want to go home."

The dark haired woman smiled painfully. "I know, I do too." She would never admit that she wanted nothing more than to go home and cry over the countless atrocities they had committed. Their crimes were beyond horrible; acts of murder would stain their souls forever. "Once we have them all, we can go home. I promise." Her words were soft and sweet, but there was also doubt in them. Something told her that she may never see the rolling mountains of her home ever again.

Mandy wheeled up to the study door as the guard pushed it open for them. "Thank you." Mandy said as she rolled her sister in to greet their visitor.

Courtney was about to greet the Stone son from down the road when her eyes went wide at the sight of him. "You!" She yelled, her voice shaking in both fear and anger.

Clark had left all his pleasantries at the door as he stood up and smiled at them with an evil grin. "Nice to se you again, Ladies." His voice was low and menacing. This was no time to be playing sweet and innocent, and he knew what these women were capable of. He couldn't take any chances. "I hope you don't mind, you said you were going to see me again. I thought I'd save you the trip back to Smallville." He was still grinning as he watched the older sister get out of the wheelchair suddenly.

"You're going to pay." She hollered at him. Her mind screamed revenge as she went to kick him. She fell to the ground as she forgot that her right foot was in a cast. She screamed in pain as she finally hit the floor with a thud.

Mandy scrambled over and helped her sister to her feet. "We're going to kill you for killing our sister." She said as she helped her only remaining sister into the wheel chair again. She quickly turned around and dove straight at his chest to tackle him.

Victor watched as things suddenly got out of control. Clark moved aside suddenly and the blond woman slammed into him, vaulting them both into the back wall. Books and shattered wood fell down around them as he struggled to get out from underneath the heap of mess. Pushing the book shelf off of himself, he stood up checked for injuries. There were some scratches here and there, but his body had easily withstood the impact. Bending over, he pulled a piece of the bookshelf off of the now unconscious Blond women lying on the ground. Victor turned around suddenly to look at two sets of wide eyes. "Clark, is she okay?"

Clark stared back at the older sister, her eyes wider than golf balls. Something told him she wasn't a threat as long as she wasn't on her feet. Leaving her, he walked towards Victor. He looked over the Blond to see if she had any injuries. There was nothing seriously wrong with her, but her head had taken a nasty hit. Gently, he bent down to pick her up.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Courtney screamed in fright. She was not going to let him murder her only remaining sister, even if she was in a wheelchair. "You will not kill her like you did Melanie." Her words came out so heatedly she thought she might have lit a fire with her words.

Clark ignored the woman's cries as she picked up the unconscious woman and laid her on the office desk. He checked her vitals to see if she was okay before he turned around and glared at the brunette. He saw fear pass over her face as soon as his eyes made contact with hers. "I did not kill your sister." He said suddenly, his glare disappearing and turning into a sorrowful frown.

Courtney was about to call security into the room, but something told her it would do no good. No matter how many atrocious crimes she had committed, more death was not the answer. The two men in front of her exuded power, and she instantly knew that they could both wipe her aside like a fly. "Don't hurt us anymore." She whined suddenly, her fear overcoming her steely demeanor.

"We won't." Victor said as he turned around to look at the collapsed book case again.

She wheeled herself into the corner as she saw Clark approaching her. It was her only chance to escape death. She had to beg for her life so that she could someday return home. "Don't kill me. Have mercy, oh please have mercy." She cried. The tears that came from her eyes were real, but deep down she had almost given up on emotion.

"Like Victor said, we will not harm you." He stopped when he saw her cowering in the wheelchair in front of him.

"You killed our sister, I assume you've come back to finish us off before we got to you first." Her voice was trembling as she watched the dark skinned man hover over Mandy's unconscious body. "What are you doing?" She asked suddenly, picking up the attention of the young man named Victor.

"Just making absolute sure she's not seriously injured." He replied, touching her head to see how bad the bump was. "We might need to get her to the hospital." He said with a frown.

"She'll be fine." Courtney said to him as she relaxed a little. The sincerity in both their voices was eerily calming.

Clark looked over to Victor and nodded his acknowledgment. He quickly looked back to the women sitting in front of him. "What's your name?" He asked out of the blue. He could tell by her reaction that she wasn't expecting that.

"Courtney." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Clark smiled at her suddenly, hoping to lighten the mood. Her penetrating eyes didn't seem to change at all though. He ran his hand through his hair a second later as he turned his back to her. "I'm going to tell you this again. I didn't kill your sister. It was an accident."

"Mandy told me what she saw." She shot back heatedly. "I would take her word over yours any day. Murderer." She growled at him. The word did more damage than she could have ever thought possible. She watched him take a step back in shock, his eyes searching for somewhere to run. A laugh escaped her lips a minute later as she figured she had the upper hand. "You're a murder." She said again and again as he pulled back even more. She could that the word was the last thing he wanted to hear. She saw her opportunity to get her revenge as he stumbled over a fallen book. Lunging at him, she outstretched her arms to tackle him.

Clark had just regained his footing before he realized that the woman had lunged at him, broken shin and all. He didn't have time to catch her as he readied himself for the impact. He felt her slam into him a second later. The same sickening feeling came over him a she clutched to his arms. He could slowly, once again, feel his life being sucked out of him as she struggled to keep on her feet. He could hear a sudden rumbling outside, and he knew what was going to happen next. With as much strength as he could muster, he wrenched himself from her arms before the thud reached them.

She collapsed to the floor, her energy drained. Usually it only took a second to rip away a freak's abilities, but she had held him for almost six seconds. What was even more surprising was the fact that he slid himself free without even a scratch on him. He should have been smoldering on the ground as nothing but a pile of dust. "What are you?" She cried, her eyes staring up at him from the ground.

Clark just shook his head disappointingly at her. "What you just did is what got your sister killed." His face was twitching in anger.

"Then how am I not dead?" She asked.

"I don't know." He lied. In truth, he had ripped away from her just in time to avoid the deafening thud that would have certainly come next. "Like I told you, I didn't kill your sister; she died when she touched me."

"What are you?" She cried again as she slowly crawled her way over to her wheelchair.

Clark just stared at her. "I'm not what you think I am." He said finally, not knowing what else he could really say.

"So you're not a meteor freak?" She asked, wincing in pain as she got back into the chair. She wheeled her chair towards the desk to be close to her sister. So many things were running through her mind. This man was invulnerable to their powers, and it scared her. A sudden idea came to her mind as she looked from her unconscious sister to him. "Then maybe you can help us." She said.

He just stared at her in shock. "I'm not going to kill anyone with you." He said menacingly.

"I don't want you to help us kill; I want you to help free us from our prison." She let her guard down, exhausted.

"What prison?" Victor asked as he felt his presence going unacknowledged.

"This house." She replied, looking up to the ceiling and the surrounding debris of books and shelves.

"Who has you trapped here?" Clark asked, his worry of hurting someone instantly being replaced by his sudden urge to help. It was in his true nature to help, not injure. When she didn't respond, he walked closer to her. He saw her flinch when he took that step. Stopping suddenly, he took a deep breath. "If you don't tell us who is imprisoning you here, we can't help you."

"He's telling you the truth." Victor added as he took a step up towards Clark to stand beside him. "We will both help you, but that doesn't mean you're not going to pay for your crimes." He knew Clark was thinking the same thing. Neither one of them could let the two women go freely.

"We don't intend on living much longer. Our souls cannot deal with the death that has been put on our hands." She rubbed her hand across her sister's face lovingly. "So much pain for the sake of one man." Her eyes misted over as she wiped away a tear. For so long they had been putting up a shield of cockiness and confidence. She knew this was there only real chance to be free. For too long they had been puppets in the man's sick plan. "We just want to be with our sister again." She cried.

Clark could feel the anguish she spoke of. Each one of her words bit into his gut like a bout of food poisoning. One moment he was ready to defend himself from an attack, and the next thing he knew he was agreeing to help them. Something in the back of his mind tickled him oddly. Thrusting that feeling away, he cleared his throat. "How can we help?" He asked.

Victor whispered low enough so that just Clark could hear. "Clark, I don't trust her. Maybe we should leave."

Clark just shook his head as he heard Victor's words. He would never refuse to help someone when they asked for it. Especially from people who looked as innocent as these women, even if they had killed dozens of people.

She lifted her tear stained face to look at the two of them. "I don't exactly know how you can help, but it may be best if I tell you what we'll be up against." She sat back in her wheelchair and took a deep sigh. It was going to be overly dangerous to cross her boss, but she knew it was their only escape form a life of murder. "The man you search does not exist."

Furrowing his brow, he looked over at Victor who sported the same look. Turning his attention back to the woman, he frowned even harder at her. "That's not very reassuring." Clark responded.

"I know." She said with a grunt. "I don't really know how else to put it. It's as if he comes to our dreams and tells us our next victim. We have no choice but to oblige."

"What does this all have to do with me?" Clark asked, folding his arms across his chest. Things were way too confusing for even his super powered brain to understand.

"Once again, I don't know." She was feeling defeated.

Victor shook his head in disgust. "Clark, we can't help them if she doesn't give us any useful information. "

Clark nodded. "I think we better leave. I'd like to help, but like you said, we can't do anything without facts." They went to walk out the door. "Plus, I don't have the ability to read minds." He chuckled suddenly as he put his hand on the door knob. He smiled to himself as he heard her call out to him from behind. His little act had worked it seemed. "Yes?" He asked innocently, as if he was really going to leave.

"There is something." She said as she watched them turn back around. It was now or never. She either had to cross that line or possibly be stuck in the grasp of him forever. "We are inherently doomed. You did not kill our sister, I know that."

"Then why did you blame me?" He shot back, his eyes glowing red in anger. He took a threatening step forward, but felt Victors hand restrain him from getting closer.

"Clark, what are you doing? She didn't threaten you." He held firm to Clarks shoulder as he felt the big man try to move forward again.

"She lied to me." He seethed, his arms tensing up. For some reason all he thought about was dealing out punishment.

Victor was scared by Clark's actions. It wasn't like him to act without so little regard to others. Clark went to wrench free again, but he clenched tighter.

Clark took a sharp breath as he felt Victors had squeeze his shoulder harder than he ever thought possible. He almost dropped to one knee as the pain suddenly became too much. At that same time his mind snapped back into gear. He got back up to his feet to look over his shoulder at Victor. "What did you?"

Victor scowled at him. "I should ask you what you did. One minute you're all concerning and then the next minute you look as if you're going rip her throat out."

The look on Victor's face was all he needed to know that he had almost lost it again. "I'm sorry." He said, shaking his head in confusion.

"Is something wrong Clark?"

Clark frowned. "I don't know. Lately things have been clouding my judgment." He rubbed his hand through his hair a second later, his mind searching for any meaning. Too many questions and no answers; he hated when that happened.

"It's not your fault Kal-El." Courtney said.

Clark shot around to stare at her, his eyes wide in shock. "How do you know that name?" He asked, his voice shaking just a little.

"Your father told me." She said as she looked intently at him. It had all clicked just a second ago. There was no going back, she was in deep. She was more than scared, that fiery look came back to his eyes as she stared at him.

When she didn't say anything more, he walked up and slammed his fist through the corner of the desk. Splinters of wood flew out into the air as he glared at her. "How?!" He screamed; his anger fully released.

She looked up at his terrifying face. At that exact moment she knew that she was dealing with someone who could squash her like a big under a work boot. "I-I." Her voice faltered as she stared into the eyes of death.

"NOW!" Clark hollered, the walls of the office shaking at the tone of his voice. He had lost all his will power as he stood there shaking. His mind told him if he didn't get the answer he wanted, he'd make her pay for it. Leaning in close to her face, he growled at her. "Tell me."

"Clark, what's gotten into you?" Victor asked again, placing his shoulder on the shaking man.

Clark turned around and flung Victor against the wall in one swift motion. He didn't want to be touched. Not bothering to look if Victor was alright, he just stared back at the woman in front of him. His patience was almost up.

"He's been the one telling us to kill the meteor freaks." She said with a haggard voice.

He faltered suddenly, the anger in him disappearing as he looked at her in shock. "I.-." An object came flying into his skull suddenly. His body flew back towards the door as he closed his eyes in pain. After hitting the wall and sliding to the floor, he looked up to see Victor standing over him, poised with a hand raised into the air.

"Don't make me do it Clark." He warned.

"Do what?" Clark asked innocently, confused as to why his friend stood over him with a threatening fist.


	30. Chapter 30

Ch. 30

"Clark, what's wrong?" Victor asked as he stood towering over him.

"What do you mean?" He said, confused beyond belief. "Why did you hit me?"

Victor let his hand fall to his side as he extended his left to give Clark a lift up. "It looked like you were about to kill the woman. I could have sworn that she expected you to do it too."

Clark got up with the aid of Victor's hand. He rubbed his head in confusion. "All I remember is getting angry about something she said." Grunting in frustration, he ran his hand through his hair. "Damn it." He swore. "I have no idea what's going on with me. One minute I'm caring and compassionate, and then the next minute I am willing to kill someone. Something is wrong Victor. I don't know what, but something is seriously wrong."

Victor could hear the fear and resignation in Clark's voice. He had never heard such a thing before. Frowning, he needed to make sure that Clark could remember anything. "Do you remember what she said?" He asked.

He shook his head at his friend. "I don't remember what she said, but I could have sworn it had something to do with me." He scoured the room, but neither the brunette nor the blond were anywhere. "Where did they go?" He asked, walking up to the desk in confusion.

Victor turned around and stared in wonder as he saw no women anywhere. "They were here just a second ago." He spun around in confusion as he swore there was no possible way they could have ran off. "I don't understand this. They couldn't have just run off. She was in a wheelchair and her sister was unconscious."

Clark was listening to Victor, but something else on the desk caught his immediate attention. Reaching out, he lifted the octagonal key for the portal to the cave. "What the hell?" He breathed as he lifted up to his face to inspect it. He turned slowly to Victor. "Care to explain?" He asked.

"They said that they have been murdering meteor freaks because your father told them too."

Clark frowned. "Jor-El?"

Victor only nodded in response.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why in the world would he trick three women into killing freaks with meteor powers?" He knew he wasn't going to get and answer, but it seemed only right to let his questions out verbally.

"Didn't you always say that the freaks had the ability to hurt you because their powers came from these rocks from your home world?"

"What's your point?" Clark asked.

Victor shrugged as he bent over and picked up a picture frame. Tossing it aside after looking at it, he looked up at Clark. "Do you think he somehow did this to help you? To rid the world of those who could possibly get in the way of this destiny you talk about hating so much?"

Clark's eyes went wide. "When did you become such an expert on my life?" He laughed.

"I'm not, but I do know enough about you to know that things that happen to you are usually not coincidences." Victor grinned, but lost it as he saw Clark visibly sulk.

"I don't know Victor, they could be here to do as you suggested, but they murdered people." He slipped the key in his pocket as he made his way to the door. "There is no doubt in my mind that Jor-El could allow murder, but not on this grand of scale. It just seems barbaric." Opening the door, he allowed Victor to go through first as he took one good look at the rest of the room. He scanned everything with his vision, but couldn't find anything else out of the ordinary. Sighing, he closed the door behind him and walked to the front door. Something else piqued his interest as he strode along the hallway. "Where are the guards?" He asked, rounding the corner and seeing Victor opening the front door.

Victor turned to him. "I don't know." His own curiosity was suddenly piqued. "Maybe Jor-El had something to do with it?"

Clark frowned as he went out the door. He would have stayed and searched the house, but he was getting a strange vibe from the dwelling. "Let's get out of here." He said.

"Gladly." Victor replied as he closed the door and walked towards the gate with Clark. "What are you going to do?" He asked, looking over at Clark, whose face was still frowning.

"I don't know." Clark replied, his head hurting. "I might visit Jor-El at the fortress later, but I'm pretty sure I'll get only riddles in return of my questions." He sighed heavily as he they went through the gate. Turning around, he grabbed both sides of the gate and closed it. There was no one inside to do it. "Damn, I wish I had some answers." He said with a sigh. He leaned his head on the gate in frustration.

"Something wrong Smallville?" Lois said as she got out of the vehicle and walked over to him.

Clark looked over to see Lois making her way towards him. No matter what had just happened, just looking at her brightened his day instantly. "No." He replied, taking his hand of the bars and stuffing them into his pockets.

"I missed you." She said, wrapping her arms through his arms and chest to hug him softly. There was something unsettling about his gaze, and she just wanted to make him feel better.

Clark took his hands out of his pockets and put them on the back of her head. Tilting her skull upwards, he planted on her a juicy kiss. After pulling away, he smiled down at her. "I missed you too."

Lois melted in his smile. There was just something that she couldn't put a finger on that caused her to go weak in the knees. She let him holder her, their eyes staring deep into one another.

Just a few feet away, Kat came up and whispered to Victor. "What happened?" She asked, her hand finding his seconds later.

"I'll tell you later." He said back, his voice even softer than hers. "Some strange things happened in this house just a while ago and I know he doesn't want Lois to know about them."

Kat frowned as he looked at Lois and Clark as they still held each other. It was a strange sight, they didn't move. They looked as if the were frozen in time. "He's going to need to be honest with her some day." She said.

"He knows that, but they've just started dating. I'd give him some time."

Kat nodded, but frowned too. "I don't want him to lose her. I can see that they make each other very happy. Much like we both do for each other."

"I know." Victor said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Uh, Clark, Lois."

"Yeah?" The both said in unison, ripping their eyes away from each other at the same moment. They both looked back at each other and smiled.

"Yes?" Clark said as he still stared at Lois's twinkling eyes.

"Care to come inside?" Kat asked.

"What time is it?" Lois replied, finally letting go of Clark and walking towards them. She looked over her shoulder to see Clark still standing there as if he was still holding her. Smirking at him, she stuck out her tongue just a little.

Clark chuckled softly as he got out of his ridiculous looking pose. "We'd love to." He said to Kat as he walked towards them, not giving her a chance to tell Lois what time it was. He knew they had time though, he could tell from the position of the sun that it wasn't very late.

"Great." Victor said, his smile reappearing as he turned and walked down the sidewalk towards his house with Kat holding firmly to his hand.

"Kat?" Lois said.

She turned around to look at the brunette. "Yes?"

"Mind if you we have your keys? We need to get my bags in my car." She smiled.

"Here." Kat said as she reached into her purse and tossed the keys to her.

Lois said thanks and turned back around to open up the SUV. She handed the keys to Clark a second later.

"Just come up to the house Clark." Victor said. "We'll leave the gate open for you."

"Thanks Victor." Clark replied, as he went over to help Lois move her bags from the vehicle. "Did you get everything you needed?" He asked, grabbing a bag and transferring it into the trunk of her car."

"As a matter of fact I didn't." She said, grabbing the dress bag and opening the car door. She laid the bag on the back seat so that it wouldn't wrinkle the fabric. Closing the door, she locked it with her key. "I didn't get any earrings."

"I thought you were just looking for a dress?" He said, grabbing the last bag and closing the back of the SUV. He clicked the lock button on the key chain to lock it.

Lois frowned at him as he placed the last bag in the trunk. She closed the trunk with emphasis. "When you buy the kind of dress like I did, you usually by new earrings to go with it, shoes too." She added at the last second.

Clark rolled his eyes. Women were so picky he thought to himself. "You did remember to buy shoes though, didn't you?" He smirked at her.

Lois punched him playfully on the shoulder. "I'm not that dumb Smallville." She said with a chortle.

"I don't know Lois, sometimes…" He let his response trail of as he left it open ended.

"Sometimes what?" Lois asked, her face lighting up in a defensive and sly grin. "Are you telling me that I'm dumb?" Her question had no hint of seriousness in it.

"No." Clark replied, still grinning himself. "Just not as smart as me."

Lois laughed loudly as she almost tripped. She felt his arm grab a hold of her as they made there way towards Victor's house. A tingling feeling shot up her spine as he touched her. Shrugging it of with a shiver, she held her mirth in check. "When the time comes that you are smarter than me, I'll dance for you again."

Clark smiled at her and pinched her rear, his hand venturing under her skirt. "I'll hold you to that." He said, leaning close to her ear and breathing softly on it.

"Clark!" She spit out, her mind registering his pinch and his breath at the same time. It was a strange and exhilarating feeling.

"What?" He asked, looking over at her with innocent puppy eyes.

"Not in public." She scolded him. Her anger let up as she stared at his facial expression. "Damn you Clark, every time I get mad at you, you give me that look and I instantly forgive you." She hated it when that happened. It made her feel so powerless.

"I'm sorry Lois." He said a second later.

"Bastard." She muttered under her breath with a chuckle. She couldn't stay mad at him even if she tried. He was jus too sweet.

Clark grabbed a hold of her hand with his and laughed with her. "I'm not a bastard, I just like making you squirm." He squeezed her hand as they walked through the gates of the Stone residence. There weren't as many trees as the other homes, but there was a beautiful fountain that sat in the middle of the round driveway in a pond.

Lois eyed the beautiful fountain and looked to the large white mansion. "I'm the one that's supposed to make you squirm." She said. "When in the world did that role reverse?"

"When you let me touch parts of you that were previously forbidden." He said, leaning closer to her.

Lois looked up at his smiling face and patted him on the cheek with her free hand. "At least I still have power over that part of your body." She said, looking down at his pants seductively.

Clark blushed as her gaze lingered down at his crotch a little longer than he thought necessary. He watched her give him a sly and evil grin as she looked back up at him.

"Things find a way to reciprocate Smallville." She laughed,

Her throat let out the most serene and beautiful sound he had ever heard. The look on her face caused him to smile widely, forgetting his earlier uneasiness. He got the simplest pleasure from just seeing her smile. He kicked himself ten times over for the fact that he had never noticed it earlier.

Lois walked up to the door and opened it.

"Lois." Clark chastised. "You should knock you know."

"Don't tell me what I should be doing." She shot back, pushing the door open. "Besides, Victor told us to walk right in."

"No, he said that about the gate, not the house."

"Whatever." She huffed, opening the door wide to provide a look at Victor and Kat making out against a cabinet by the door. "Excuse me." Lois said, embarrassed. She closed the door quickly.

"Look what you did Lois." He laughed at her as she turned red in embarrassment.

"Shut up Smallville." She said as she turned around to stare at the door. The door wasn't opening, so she pushed the doorbell.

Clark chuckled under his breath as he took a step up beside Lois. "Maybe we should leave them alone. I don't think they saw you."

Lois was about to reply, but Victor opened the door in front of them. "Sorry about that." He said with a sheepish grin.

"Not your fault Victor." Clark said. He glared over at Lois. "Someone doesn't know how to knock." He said it with a small smile.

Lois grumbled at Clark and pushed her way through the door and past Victor.

Clark stepped through a second later, a chuckling Victor closing the door behind him. He stopped to remove his boots, but noticed the grandeur of the house before he had a chance to. "Wow." He said with a sharp inhale of breath. The house was unlike most mansions he had been in. It was an open concept that left the front room almost looking like the inside of a church. The entire inside was covered in a log finish, stained with varnish.

"Close your mouth Smallville." Lois said, staring at his unmoving eyes. When he didn't move, she walked up and shut his mouth for him by pushing up on his chin. "That's better." She said as she turned and walked towards the kitchen where Kat was.

"This is quite the house." Clark said to Victor, snapping out of his daze.

"It gives my father a sense of foundation and belonging." He said as he shoved his hands in his pockets as Clark finally removed his shoes. "My father always loved the hunting lodges back home and couldn't help buy bring that into his home life."

"Well, it looks great." Clark said again. He thought he heard some disappointment in Victor's voice. "Do you not like it?" He asked.

Victor shrugged. "I don't know. The open concept is great, but all the logs aren't really my thing."

"It wouldn't be that first two months of gallons of varnish that threw you of it would it?" Clark asked with a grin.

"Maybe." Victor replied with a chuckle. "It was hard to breath for the first two weeks. I spent most my time at Kat's house if I remember correctly." He walked with Clark over to the kitchen and sat down on a stool.

Clark sat down too, his hands running along the marble island. He whistled in appreciation. "This is one heck of a kitchen." He said as he looked from the island to the surrounding appliances and cabinets. "How many people do you have working for you?" He asked a second later.

"No one." Victor said. "My father doesn't believe that our home should be occupied by anyone that isn't family."

"Then how do you clean this place?" He asked, still looking around at the size of the house.

"We get someone in once a week to clean it. We will let outside help in to work, but never any live in help." He smiled at Kat as she put a beer in front of him. "Thanks dear." He said.

Clark finished his gazing and looked back down to notice a frosty bottle in front of him. "Thanks." He said as he picked it up and took a guzzle. Dropping the bottle from his lips, he looked at it intently. "What kind of beer is this?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "I can't even pronounce the name."

"Me either." Victor said. "It some South African beer that my dad says his distant, and I mean distant, relatives makes." He took a swig and set the bottle back on the table. "Tastes good though."

"I'll agree with you on that." Clark said as he took another drink. He set the bottle back down as he eyed Lois standing across from him with her own beer in hand. She was looking at him oddly while leaning against the counter. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing." She smiled at him. "It's just; I'm surprised that you accepted a beer. You are usually so uptight about these types of things."

"It's not a bar Lois, it's a beer with friends." He took another swig and savored the flavor of the strong beer. "I will still be your boy scout in public, I promise." He winked at her.

Lois continued to smile at him as she took her own drink. She swallowed and held the beer close to her stomach. "Actually, what time is it?" She asked, looking for a clock. She found one over the sink and smiled. It wasn't even five yet. "Almost four more hours until your date Smallville." She said with a chuckle.

"Don't remind me." He snorted, taking another swig while he fidgeted on the stool.

"Date?" Victor asked. "With Lois?"

"No." Clark said in dejection. He wasn't really looking forward to it. Lois had gotten them into the awkward position. He looked at Victor who was frowning in confusion. Clark sighed. "Lois decided to keep our relationship a secret, but when she did so I had another woman ask me out. Of course, I couldn't just say no."

"Well, try to have a good time." Victor said, his voice full of remorse.

"I will make sure to." He said with a serious tone, looking straight ahead at Lois.

She took a gulp when she saw the intent in his eyes. "You wouldn't dare." She said.

"Try me." He growled playfully.

Lois rolled her eyes. Clark wouldn't do anything, she knew that. Somewhere deep inside she felt guilty for putting him in such a situation, but she retold herself she had decided to keep them a secret for a reason.

"What's her name?" Kat asked as she set her drink on the island.

"Abby." Clark said with no hint of emotion in his voice.

"Is she pretty?" Kat asked.

"Most beautiful woman I have ever met." He said, taking another drink and looking at Lois with shifty eyes.

She fumed as she stared back at him intently. She deserved it, but for some reason she couldn't hold her tongue. "Bite me." She said with a grumble.

"Later." He said with a wink, setting his beer back on the island.

Lois almost choked on her brew as her eyes went wider than saucers. "You didn't just say that?" She asked in complete surprise.

"You're getting hard of hearing are you?" Clark asked with a smile. He was going to push her over the edge. She deserved it for stringing him along in her plan to keep their relationship a secret.

Lois just continued to stare at him with mute shock. "I swear Smallville, if I had known you were this snippy, I would have never had sex with you." She calmed down and took another drink.

It was Clark's turn to stare in shock. It was if she completely disregarded the fact that Victor and Kat were right there. "Lois." He frowned in shock.

"What Smallville. You speak about biting me and you can't take something back. You're pathetic you know." She smiled at him evilly.

Clark looked at her with anger staring straight into her eyes, but lightened his mood as she softened her smile. "Sorry." He said, looking to Victor and Katherine, hoping they would forgive him and Lois for their little outburst.

"Don't be sorry." Kat said. "In truth, we enjoy watching you two bicker. It just makes us believe that you are just that much more in love." She watched as both Clark and Lois stared at one another in fright at the mention of love.

"We're not in love!" They both shouted in unison. Their eyes stared at one another for what seemed like hours.

Victor looked at Kat and smiled at her. "Way to go honey."

"What?" Kat asked innocently, her own smile playing on her lips. She was getting too much enjoyment out of all of it. She would have normally never played with others like that, but she knew that was the way Clark and Lois's relationship worked. Bickering and awkwardness was what drove them.

Clark was still staring at Lois, his eyes burning a hole in her face. Lois in love with him? Hah! He slapped himself mentally. They hadn't even been dating for a day yet. He finally tore his eyes from her in defeat as he stared down intently at his beer.

Lois couldn't move as she looked at him staring down at his drink. Was she in love with him? No, she told herself. She was Lane, she didn't fall in love. Her heart was telling her otherwise, but she reminded herself that she thought with her mind, not her heart.

Silence enveloped them all as the sudden awkwardness of the situation became more pronounced. For almost a minute no one spoke. Victor broke the silence a second later as he felt things tighten even more. "Come on Clark, let's watch dome television." He picked up his beer and headed to the living room.

Clark just nodded his head dumbly and followed after. There was nothing more he wanted to do than get away from the kitchen. It felt like a war zone.

Kat watched as the two of them went towards the living room. She turned to Lois, who was staring blankly at the floor. "I'm sorry Lois." She said with a sad look.

"No, don't worry about it." She said in return.

"Lois, are you okay?" Kat asked, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "If it's what I said, I 'm sorry."

Lois looked from the floor to her beer, then up to Kat. "It's just, well, since you said it, my mind is running over what you said just as we were about to leave the mall."

"And what did I say?" Kat asked, removing her hand form Lois's shoulder.

"You said that with Clark and me it was different because we already liked each other. That we already knew about one another, as if we had been dating for a while now."

Kat was surprised at her candid words. "So are you telling me that you actually love him?"

Lois shrugged. "I don't know." She said in defeat. "My heart is telling me one thing, but my head is telling me another." She set her drink down and leaned on the island counter and sighed in frustration.

Kat could see that Lois was struggling with her thoughts. She could also tell that Lois was a woman who usually didn't let emotions come out. She hid them just like Clark did. "Lois." She began. "When it comes to matters of the heart, it's no time to doubt it. I know that you feel weak and powerless, I did too, but when you find that someone that makes your heart flutter like crazy, you can't hold yourself back. Because, in truth, you will just hurt yourself in the end as you think back about what you might have missed out on."

Lois dropped her head in defeat. "I know." She said with a sigh. "Problem is I don't know how to deal with these types of things. My whole life has been about putting up a defense to protect myself from others. My father taught me to keep everything in and to leave my emotions at the door."

Kat placed her hand back on her shoulder to comfort. "When it comes to love Lois, hiding from it will only lead to pain."


	31. Chapter 31

Ch. 31

It was just before six when they had left. In truth they had probably stayed too late, but hanging out with both Victor and Katherine made them feel very much like a couple. They were almost half way home to Smallville before either one of them had said something. The word love was playing on both their minds, and they both knew it.

Clark cleared his throat as he gripped the wheel a little tighter. So many strange things had happened, yet all he could think about was what Kat said. He slapped himself mentally for not being able to forget about it. Swallowing hard, he chanced a glance over at her. She was just sitting there, a worried glance clearly etching her expression. "Something wrong Lois?" He asked.

Lois looked over at him with floundering eyes. She could trust him, she knew that, but she wasn't feeling very happy at the moment. Her boyfriend was going on a date with another woman, how in the world could she ever be happy about that. "Yes Clark, you're going on a date with another woman. That's what's wrong." She looked back out the front of the car as she hid a tear that almost came from her right eye.

He could feel the anger and sadness that radiated from her. Reaching over, he found her hand and rubbed it reassuringly. "Lois, I don't have to remind you I'm your man, not hers." He could tell that his words weren't really helping very much. "You can trust me Lois, you know that."

She stared out her passenger side window at the setting sun. It was if the sun was sending a signal to her that their one day old relationship was about to disappear too. Her stomach tightened at the thought of losing him. She had finally found someone she felt completely comfortable with, and now she was chancing losing him because she was too afraid to hurt Chloe's feelings. She loved her cousin, but what Kat had told her was still playing over and over in her mind. What if she did love Clark, was he more important than her love for Chloe. "I know I can trust you Clark. You're one of the only people I can."

"Then what's wrong?" He pried.

Lois took a deep breath as she continued to stare out the window. She could feel his warm hand on hers. The slightest touch was enough to make her stomach to go wild with butterflies. "Somewhere in the back of my mind I feel as if something might go wrong, that you might leave me for her." It took everything she had to say it. It was so difficult to show her emotions.

Clark could feel her pain. "I told you before Lois. As much as I hate hurting people, I would cancel the date, just for you." He squeezed her hand even tighter.

She looked over at him with her eyes tearing up. "I know how much it would hurt her Clark, and I could never allow you to do something like that. It would do more damage to you than it would her." She slowly undid her seatbelt and scooted up beside him. Nuzzling into his shoulder, she placed a loving hand on his stomach. The heat coming from his body made her feel safe. "Just hold me Clark." She said as she casually lifted his arm up and snuggled into the crook.

It was strange seeing her so vulnerable and afraid. It hurt him not just her to be going on the date. He was going to make sure she understood that. "I'm almost as upset about this as you are. And, I want you to know that I don't blame you for the situation." He really didn't. He completely understood why she was keeping it all a secret.

"You're amazing, you know that?" She said, looking up at his face with her eyes now dry.

Clark smiled back down at her, her mouth looking more and more inviting by the second. He wasn't expecting it, but she kissed him. When she pulled away, he had an eyebrow raised.

"You were looking at them; I couldn't very well deny you the pleasure." She smiled at him brightly. Her eyes lingered on his as she stared deep into them. She could see the desire in them, the lust, but most of all, she saw what she thought was love. Groping her hand on his stomach, she slowly worked her hand down to the crotch of his pants. The tight jeans didn't leave much to the imagination. She gripped him softly as she used her left hand to cup the back of his head and run her fingers through his hair.

Clark groaned in pleasure as he felt her rub him through his pants. "Lois." He moaned; sure enough he wouldn't be able to watch the road while she was doing her work.

"Just drive." She said, finding the button on his jeans and undoing it. Quickly, she found the zipper and ran it down as far as it would go. She smiled as she saw him already as erect as he could possibly get inside the restrictions of his pants and boxers. Licking her lips in a seductive fashion, she looked up at his closed eyes. "Keep your eyes on the road Smallville." She teased.

"O-kay." He said haltingly. His eyes went wide as he felt her warm hand suddenly reach inside his boxers and grab his member. He closed his eyes in pleasure and gulped. Opening them again, he tried to focus on the road. It wasn't working very well, but he tried his best.

Lois could barely get her fingers wrapped around him as she began to edge it out of his boxers. With a final triumphant pull, it popped out. She smiled to herself as she positioned herself to take him in her mouth. She could suddenly feel the heat from him become too much as she began to feel her own underpants get a little damp in anticipation. Looking up to make sure he was still watching the road, she stroked him playfully, denying him the pleasure of her mouth on him for a few more moments. Slower and slower she moved her hand up and down him.

Clark moaned as she stroked him gently. As she began to slow down, he looked at her, but smiled as she had an evil grin slapped across her face. She was just toying with him. Problem was that it was working too well. "Lois-" He said with a raspy voice, unable to get his mind completely off the touch of her hand.

"Quiet." She whispered as she began to finally stroke him harder. Her mouth hovered over him just above the tip and she blew a few wisps of air on it to torture him. She could tell it was working as she felt him throb in her hand. Her left hand suddenly came down to rest under her breasts so that she could stay in position. Still stroking him, she gently brought her lips to him and kissed softly. She lingered on tip and stuck her tongue out just a little to tickle him.

Clark almost lost it right there, the feeling of her tongue and her lips on him too much to take. He fought the urge to explode, and in the end succeeded in doing so. Taking a deep sigh, he tried to calm himself so that he could prolong the pleasure as long as he could.

Lois still continued to stroke him as she kissed his tip over and over again softly. Every time she touched him with her lips, she could feel his body tense up. She smiled to herself as she realized he was actually fighting to keep himself from releasing. Ever more slowly, she dropped her mouth over the tip, allowing the edges of it to touch her lips. She gave it a few vacuum like sucks as she stopped her stroking. Parting her lips just a little, she took her tongue and used it to lick circles around the edge of his tip. Closing her eyes, she could hear him moan as she continued her assault on him.

She stopped her swirling as she brought her mouth up while still sucking. Once she left him, a loud slurping pop could be heard. She looked up at him for a second; her eyes at an angle so that she could only see his incredible smile. Grinning inwardly, she came back down on him with her lips pushing over the top and taking him in ever more. Again she sucked, but this time she bit him softly. It wasn't enough to hurt him, but it was enough to make him feel it.

Clark felt her bite him. It was the most pleasurable thing he had ever felt. He struggled to keep his eyes open and on the road, but he managed to do so. He was just glad he could stay the speed limit. He thought the car was going to go the same rapid pace his heart was.

Her gag reflex wasn't small by any means, but she knew full well she could never take him completely, and in a way that saddened her. Trying to make up for it, she slid her mouth back up him. She didn't leave him this time though, instead, she moved back down him. Up and down she moved, her head bouncing like a bobble head as she sucked every time she came back up. Faster and faster she moved, her hair getting in her eyes.

Reaching down, he grabbed her hair and held it behind her head as she continued to suck him over and over. His hand almost let go of the hair that he was holding behind her head as he felt her squeeze the base with a thumb and index finger. He managed to hold onto the steering wheel too as he closed his eyes in ecstasy. Opening them back up, he made sure to stay within the yellow and white lines respectively. God, he was certainly having trouble, he thought to himself. She was just far too distracting.

The soft tugging on her hair each time she went down sent small erotic chills through her body and down to her core. The more she sucked him, the more she wanted him inside her. She would have sat on him as he drove, but she knew better than that. It was far too dangerous to do such a thing. She had read several reports on accidents that had been caused by such an act. Sighing in resignation, she turned herself completely over to working him with her mouth. Again she pressed her lips onto him even tighter. The increased pressure made the veins on his member pulsate and bulge. She took her mouth off him suddenly and licked him from top to bottom. The more she licked, the more she could hear him moan.

Clark shuddered in pleasure, his hand almost snapping the steering wheel as he tried desperately not to drive off the road. He had never had this type of thing done to him before. It was an entirely new and exhilarating sensation that he didn't want to end.

Lois could feel herself getting wetter as she felt his hand still holding back her hair. She finished her licking and took him full on again. She sucked harder and harder on him as she started to pump the base of him with her right hand. Out of view, she was pinching and groping her own right breast with her left hand. Both the sensation of tasting him and groping herself was almost enough for her to climax without even being touched in her nether regions. She crowded up closer to him as she continued to suck with all her might.

He almost lost control of the car as his eyes closed. He opened them to find himself on the gravel shoulder. Steadying himself, he tried mightily to keep himself attentive enough to drive. He looked down and let go of her hair. She was close enough, and so he reached over and up under her skirt. Beginning to rub her clit with his index finger, he moaned at her continuous sucking.

Lois almost bit him as she felt his hand touch her. She almost exploded herself as she felt him rub her back and forth, the pressure increasing each time he rubbed. Her mouth twitched on him as she felt him casually slip a finger inside of her. She let out a moan on his member a second later, her insides jumping wildly at the touch of his finger in her.

Clark slowly moved his finger in and out. The sensation of her tightening around it was driving him up the wall. He couldn't take it anymore, he had to pull over. Sliding off into the shoulder, he put the car into park and lost himself completely.

She could feel the car come to a stop. She knew full well he had given up on being able to drive. There was no way she would have been able to last as long as he did. The breath hitched in her lungs as she suddenly felt him slip another finger inside. As he began to trust them in harder and faster, she lost the ability to move on him. After a few seconds, he had slowed down enough for her to resume her assault.

Clark had realized his sliding in and out of her was interrupting her playing of his instrument. He slowed down on his end, allowing her to continuing to tune him. His body began to tighten up as he felt himself ready to explode. "Lois." He said is desperation, trying to get her attention.

She heard his voice, just barely, but it was enough for her to understand what he meant. Turning onto her right side, she kept him in her mouth and position herself head just below him. A second later she felt him explode into the back of her throat. She almost choked, but she managed to swallow before another shot hit her full on. His moaning was driving her crazy as she finally swallowed the rest and began licking the remaining drops that hung from the tip. She looked up at him with curt smile playing on her lips. His eyes were staring down at her as he panted in pleasure.

Clark breathed heavily as he stared down at her. The luscious pout to her lips and the sultry look in her eyes was something he had never seen before. In truth, it made him swell even more, but his erection quickly dissipated a second later. He felt her try to pull away, but he kept her put buy starting to pump his fingers in her again. "Your work may be done, but mine isn't." He smiled down at her as she gently tucked his member back in his pants.

Lois almost didn't get it back in his boxers before she was hit with the sudden feeling of renewed entry. Turning over onto her back, her face staring up at him, she let his fingers explore her. Faster and faster he pushed into her, his fingers causing her back to shiver and tingle as if the temperature had suddenly dropped well below freezing. "C-lark." She said with a hoarse and parting voice, her body shaking back and forth as he continued to drive his fingers in and out. Moments passed like an eternity as she felt herself ready to explode. An ecstasy filled convulsion filled her and suddenly she let go. Her body continued to shake and move as she felt her juices slowly seep out and onto his fingers.

Clark smiled down at her as he watched her face contort and twitch in pleasure. The lines around her mouth and nose wrinkled up in such a cute way he actually touched them with his left index finger. She opened her eyes a second later and kissed his finger. "Hey." He said, staring deep into her eyes.

"Hey to you too." She said back, lying on his lap and looking up at him. The moment seemed too sublime to end it, so they just stared at one another, smiling. "Let me up." She finally said, her mind telling her not to do it. She had to though; her back was hurting from his leg that was positioned under it awkwardly.

He whimpered as she got up off him. The car was still idling as he felt her hand remove his from her nether regions.

As she sat up more comfortably, she reached into the glove compartment and fished out a couple of Kleenex's. She wiped her juices of his fingers first, and then she went to wipe off the seat and herself. Finishing up, she rolled down the window and tossed the tissues out. Winding the window back up, she turned her head to look at him scowl. "Don't you dare warn me about littering after what I just did to you!" She smiled.

"It went both ways Miss Lane." He said with a chuckle as he pulled out and back onto the road. The car rumbled deeply as he put his foot harder to the pedal.

What she had just did to him, and to her likewise, was something both of them had never enjoyed before. It reality it meant more to both of them than words could convey.

It was his way of proving to her that no matter what might happen later, that she was his, and he would never forsake her.

To her, what she did was essentially label him hers. In truth, she had never done that to a man before. She couldn't imagine that she would ever do it to another man other than Clark. Her Smallville was a special man, and that was her way of saying thank you. She put her seatbelt back on and found a way to somehow cross her legs. She could feel the sweat running down her back as she also felt the heat emanating from between her legs. The crossing of her legs was more of a defensive reaction to the idea that she might exalt more fluids.

Clark let the car pull its weight as he took a deep breath. He reddened at the lingering thoughts of Lois's mouth around him.

Lois glanced over at him to see his neck turn red. "Smallville, are you going to be able to drive or should I take over?" She was smirking at him.

He looked over at her direction and reddened even deeper as she smirked at him. That smirk again was pushing him over the edge. How at one moment it was mocking and then suddenly it was sincere he would never guess. "I think I can handle it fine." He responded, finally.

"Oh I'm sure you can." She said, a fleeting glance and a tight smile directed his way. "Oh yes, I'm more than sure you can handle it." She chuckled softly as she saw him turn so red she could have sworn he was on fire.

Clark rubbed his neck with his right hand in embarrassment. There was no reason why he was acting ashamed, but she always made him feel that way.

"Smallville." Lois said, shaking her head in disappointment. "Do you always have to feel so ashamed after we do something sexual?"

Clark cleared his throat. It was his turn to shoot back, but he couldn't find the correct words. "Lois, I'm not really comfortable talking about it." He didn't know what else to say.

"I swear Clark; sometimes I think your parents raised you too uptight. I've had more innuendo talk with a grapefruit." She huffed at him. "I could swear that you almost feel ashamed of me."

He reached over and patted her hand softly. "Lois, I could never be ashamed of you. I know that you're used to things a certain way, but I'm trying Lois, dear god I'm trying." He was almost pleading with her as she grabbed his hand in return.

"I know Clark, that's just another reason why I like you. You're different than everyone else. You're something I've never experienced before."

Clark eyed her suspiciously. "So, once you're tired of this new experience you're going to move on to something new and interesting?"

"Probably." She said with a large grin.

Clark just rolled his eyes and put them forward towards the road again. "Well, I'll tell you this. You may get tired of me, but there is no way I could ever get tired of you." He smiled to himself as he felt her punch him on the arm softly.

"Wise words Smallville. Sometimes I think you're a woman with all the sincerity you show, but once I open up those pants, I'm pleasantly surprised." She laughed out loud as she watched him squirm even more. "Oh Clark." She sighed, her laughter only dying down a pinch as she rolled her eyes at him. "You're hopeless, you know that don't you?" Her laughter went up a notch at her own words.

"Stop reminding me then." He shot back. There was no anger in his voice, but he was getting a little annoyed.

Lois squeezed his hand even tighter, trying to make him squirm in pain. When she saw that it wasn't working, she began to drive her nails into the back of his hand for fun.

"Lois, stop that before you break your nails." He looked over at her to make sure she had gotten his warning.

"Damn it Smallville, what are you made of?" She inquired, letting up on her grasp and looking at him intently.

"Oak, remember?" He said with an annoyingly broad smile.

"Shut up." She replied with a grunt.

"Lois, with you telling me to shut up like you do, you're starting to sound like a high school drama queen." He just kept his eyes on the road, but he could tell she was angry at him by the near death grip on his undamaged hand.

Lois looked at his smug face. "I'm going to suggest you don't say anything like that again. As much as I tell you to shut up, I will never be like one of them women. I tell you to shut up because truthfully you need to. Sometimes you just can't keep your big mouth shut."

"And you can?" He shot back, looking at her and then down in the general area of his crotch.

She growled at him under her breath. Once again he was pushing her buttons. And yet once again it was all her fault. She had chastised him for being a prude, and now he was giving back just as well as he received. What made her smile though was the fact that she knew that she was the only one in the world who could make him act like that. "I just hope what I did to you is a good enough reminder of why you shouldn't do anything with Abby tonight."

Clark placed his other hand on the wheel and sighed heavily. It came back to the date later on once again. "Lois, what I did in return is the conviction I think you need to let this go. I promise you, I won't touch her inappropriately, or even kiss her on the lips."

"You better not." She said, ripping her hand from his and staring out the side window. "Otherwise I'll make sure that thing in your pants never sees the light of day, ever again."

"That means I can still use it at night then, right?"

Lois just shook her head and smiled. "You really are hopeless." She said with a slight chuckle escaping her throat.

"I try." He said in return, his own smile coming to his face as he glanced over to briefly take in her goddess like beauty.


	32. Chapter 32

Ch. 32

Martha stood at the sink preparing salad for dinner. Washing the leaves clean in the water, she shook them as dry as possible and ripped them up into the bowl. Garden salad was her favorite, but tonight she was making both Clark and Lois's favorite, Caesar. With a few more ripped up twigs, she filled the bowl and poured the salad dressing on. Tossing in some croutons and bacon bits, she began to stir it slowly, her eyes fixated on the laneway. Clark and Lois should have been home already. Her worry was replaced by joy as she felt her husband hug her from behind.

Jonathon kissed the top of her head and leaned his chin on top. "What are you staring at?" He asked.

"The laneway." She said softly. "Lois and Clark should be home soon."

"They're both adults dear, they can be late sometimes." He squeezed her a little tighter as she still continued to toss the salad in the bowl.

"I know that, but they still live here. They're still my children." She said it with emphasis.

"I wouldn't expect you not to fret over them, Clark is our son, and Lois has become the daughter we never had." He smiled to himself. He had always wished they could have had their own child. Clark was there son, and they didn't love him any less, but they always wished that they could have had another child, and maybe it would have kept Clark away from the loneliness that seemed to often occupy his time. Jonathon could still remember Ryan and how happy both Clark and him had been to have the young boy around. Rubbing his hands on his wife's arms lovingly, he watched Lois's car pull into the driveway and up to the house.

Martha smiled wide at seeing her son step out of the driver's side. She knew full what it meant for Lois to let someone else drive her car. Turning off the tap, she felt her husband still holding her from behind. After twenty or more years she still felt giddy inside every time he held her. It wasn't seconds after both Lois and Clark were out of the car that they were both bickering. She could hear their voices from inside the house, but she knew full well that they were just having fun. The smile on both their faces was all the evidence she needed to know that they enjoyed spending time with each other.

"Smallville, I told you I would get the dress. I'm not letting you handle something so fine." Her eyes twinkled at him as she stared across the car at him. "Farmer's hands are not made for touching exquisite things."

Clark laughed as he went to the trunk and opened it with the key. "So that means I can't touch you then?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and a wide smile.

"You're too sappy for my tastes." She shot back with a glare. He really was too sweet. How could she have been so blind not to notice it before?

Clark grabbed the bags from the trunk and closed the top. Slamming it shut, he watched Lois bend over into the car to take out the dress. He let his eyes linger on her rear end as she wiggled her way inside.

Lois could feel his eyes on her. On one hand she was flattered by the attention, but on the other hand she felt mildly offended. Grabbing the dress, she got out and shut the door. "Get a good look?" She asked as she didn't even bother to look at him.

Clearing his throat, he blinked. "I guess so." He said collectively, a little embarrassed. "You told me I had a nice butt yesterday. I guess I could only return the favor. You have a nice rear end Lois." He said with a hearty laugh.

She rolled her eyes and walked towards the house. She could see both Mr. and Mrs. Kent standing at the window and looking at them. Smiling wide, she pushed open the door and kicked of her high heeled sandals. Sighing in delight, she wiggled her heel around dramatically to get the feeling back. It had been long time since she had worn those.

"You look good in a skirt." Martha said to Lois, who was rubbing her feet.

"Thanks." She replied, turning around and smiling back to Martha, who was holding a bowl of salad in her hands. Jonathon was grabbing the milk out of the fridge as he looked over at her. "Hi Mr. Kent." She said cheerily.

"Hello Lois." Jonathon replied, looking at her strangely. Lois never wore skirts. He shrugged it off a second later. "Have a good time this afternoon?" He asked, disappearing into the dining room.

Lois shouted back a yes as she heard Clark come in the door behind her. "Supper is ready Smallville." She said, looking back at him and smiling wide.

"Then we're just in time." He replied back. Dropping the bags on the floor by the door, he bent over and quickly untied his good boots. Slipping them off, he set them neatly beside Lois's shoes. He quickly straightened those too. Looking up to see if Lois was still standing there, he saw his mother walk into the kitchen.

"Supper's ready, honey." She said as she pulled open the oven.

"That's great." He replied, grabbing the bags and heady up the stairs. He made it to his door and nudged it open with his knee. He caught a glimpse of Lois changing, but he made sure to keep his head down as he dropped the bags on the bed.

"Ahem, I'm changing." Lois said with an annoyed grunt, struggling to get a pair of jeans on. Zipping them up, she shrugged out of her jean coat.

"I'm not looking Lois."

She looked up to see that he was indeed not looking. He was sitting on the bed facing the opposite direction. She decided to have some with him as she slipped on an old tank tee. "You know, you can look."

Clark shook his head. "I know you like your privacy. Even if we're dating, that doesn't mean I have the right to watch you change. I'm not a stalker with a telescope you know." He finished his reply, but he instantly regretted it. He knew for a fact she was going to dig into him about what he just said.

Lois snorted a small chuckle as she tied her hair back into her old ponytail. "Why did you go and say something like that?" She asked.

He turned to her as she strode up to him and put her hands on her hips. "Did it sound that bad?" He asked, looking up to her as she stood towering over him.

"You have no idea." She laughed. "All the times you told me that you'd watch Lana through that telescope form the loft is quite ironic, if not really sad." She could see him frown, so she grabbed his hand and half yanked him to his feet. "I was going to make fun of you a little more, but there's food in the oven and I'm starving."

Clark let her hold his hand as they went out the door. He almost tripped as he she pulled him along. As soon as they were at the top of the stairs, she let go of his hand. His smile turned to a frown as he felt her disappear from his touch. Hiding it from his parents was going to be too much and he suddenly got the idea of slipping up purposely. Following Lois down the stairs, he lost himself her lingering scent. Before he knew it, he tripped down the rest of the stairs, his body rolling head over heels as he fell.

Lois was half way into the dining room when she heard a loud thump, and turned around. A few quickened thumps were audible, and all of a sudden Clark came into view, his head first as he rolled into the kitchen. It was quite obvious he had fallen down the stairs. Lois overcame her shock and rushed over to him. "Clark, are you okay?"

Before Lois reached him, Clark was already standing and wiping away the wrinkles from his plaid shirt. "That's a first." He chuckled.

"What's a first?" Jonathon asked as he leaned backing his chair and peered over to Lois and Clark. Lois was standing there feeling around Clark's chest for some odd reason.

"I fell down the stairs." He said, brushing away Lois's concerning hands. He gave her a tight smile to reassure her he was okay. The look on her face was one of pure terror, but she quickly smirked back at him. He walked to the other end of the table and sat down.

"Uh, son?"

"Yeah dad?" Clark asked, looking up at his father.

Jonathon touched his own forehead, indicating that his son had something on his head.

Clark wiped his head and pulled away a couple pieces of wood that were sticking to his forehead. "Thanks." He replied to his father, who smiled back in return.

Lois came around the corner to the table, still worried about Clark. "There's a chunk of wood missing form the third step Smallville." She sat the table across from Martha as she glared at Clark.

He quickly stuffed the wood chips in his pocket and grabbed the potatoes and slapped them on his plate. He was trying to hide a response, but she was still staring at him. "I hit it with my knee." He said finally, trying to put her worry to rest.

"Does it not hurt?" She asked, taking the potatoes that were hanging in his outstretched hand. She could have sworn he should have been in pain. What was stranger was the fact that both his parents didn't seem concerned at all.

"I'm sure the stairs are hurting even more." Martha jumped in. She could tell her son wasn't in the mood for coming up with a silly explanation.

Lois let her gaze linger on Clark for a second later before she looked over to Martha. "Sometimes I think your son is invincible." She laughed, passing the dish over to Mr. Kent.

Jonathon almost coughed into his drink. Slowly setting his glass back down, he wiped away the small mustache of milk that adorned his upper lip. "It'd be nice sometimes if he didn't think so. One of these days he's going to get himself into trouble." He scooped the potatoes and passed them to his wife.

"I'm already in trouble." Clark chuckled, his gaze settling on a blushing Lois.

Lois almost choked on a forkful of food as she stared at Clark with round eyes. She could tell that he was referring to earlier in the car. Not only was it surprising, it was almost scary at the thought of him hinting about it around his parents. Of course, they didn't know, but that still didn't mean it didn't make her uncomfortable.

"What are you talking about?" Martha inquired, looking from Lois and Clark as they continued in a stare down.

Clark shrugged his shoulders and dug into his plate of food. "Victor's getting married." He said suddenly, changing the subject.

"Oh yeah?" Martha asked, her hand finding the container of milk. "I thought we saw an invitation around earlier." She poured a glass and passed it to her son. "In a couple of week's, right?"

"I think so." Clark replied, pouring himself a glass. "I need a date though." He said casually. He didn't bother to look at Lois; he knew she was masking her annoyance.

"I thought you had a date tonight son?" Jonathon asked, looking up from his plate.

Clark swallowed his food and nodded. "I do, but it's a first date. It's kind of difficult to ask woman if she'd go to a wedding with you if you're just getting to know her." He shrugged again and looked over at Lois. She was pushing food around her plate, trying not to look angry.

Martha looked at Clark and then to Lois. She could have sworn there was something weird going on. "Why don't you take Lois?" She suggested. To her surprise, they both said nothing. All they did was stare at each other with surprised eyes. "What, did I say something wrong?" She asked, looking to her husband for support. She was acting innocent, but she had ulterior motives.

For the rest of dinner, no one spoke. It had drove Lois nuts with no sound but the clanking of forks on plates. She had continuously glanced at Clark too. A couple times she could have sworn she caught Martha watching her do it. She had almost blushed in embarrassment, as if the woman was warning her somehow. The relief finally came as they all finished. There was no dessert for a change, so she had helped Martha clean the dishes while Clark had gone out to finish up some chores.

Finishing up her drying, still silent, she draped the towel over the sink faucet and headed for the door. She needed to get out of the house pronto. She found her running shoes and slipped them on.

"Lois?" Martha asked from the island counter.

"Yes?" Lois replied, putting her hand on the door to open it.

"Tell Clark to feed Shelby."

Lois smiled and nodded. She opened the door and walked out onto the porch. As much as she wanted to get out of the house, she stood there, transfixed by the sight of the pink sunset. She could feel the temperature dropping as she took a cautious step off the porch. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she slowly walked towards the barn. Taking a deep breath, she took in the aroma of fresh air. There was nothing like the crisp smell of country air and the sound of crickets chirping in the background. Never in her life would she have ever thought she could bare living in the country, but now, she didn't think she could have found herself living anywhere else.

She found herself wandering away from the barn. For some reason she didn't feel like leaving the outside for the seclusion of the loft. She wandered a little more, her feet plodding along the path back to the rear field. A little dust from the tire path kicked up as she smiled to herself. Even if Clark was going on a date with another woman, she couldn't help but feel at peace. For too long she had been running around, searching for the thing she had lost when her mother had died, family.

"Lois?"

Spinning around, she noticed Clark walking towards her, his broad frame getting bigger as he came closer. They were both a good distance from the house, and screened by the barn. She smiled to him as he got even closer.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, walking right up and staring into her hazel brown eyes. The smile plastered on her face was a telling sign that she was in a good mood. She continued to stare at him, not saying anything. Frowning, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and cleaned the dirt off his hands.

She watched as he cleaned his hands in front of her. She waited until he was finished, and grabbed a hold of one of them. With her right hand placed firmly in his left, she pulled him along with her.

Clark smiled at her touch, but was worried about her silence. "Where are we going?" He asked; his interest piqued.

Lois held onto him as she continued smiling. "Nowhere." She said, squeezing her hand around his more tightly. She looked up at him and noticed his eyebrows were furrowed. "Do I need an explanation to spend time with you?" She asked, swinging their arms while they walked.

"No." He said in return, gazing out at the quickly darkening sky. He stopped abruptly and pulled Lois around when she continued to walk forward. He made her spin back into him. He bent down and kissed her surprised lips.

Lois got over her surprise rather quickly as she kissed him softly. The sound of crickets ceased to exist as she lost herself in his tender lips. The pink of the sun had disappeared from the sky, and all that was left was the darkening blue skyline, and the black irises of one farm boy. She pulled away a second later, her hand still holding his. Not saying anything, she turned and began walking with him again.

"Is something wrong?" Clark asked. "You're being awfully quiet." She wasn't normally like this, in fact, he had never seen her like this.

"I'm just happy." She replied, setting his worry rest. "For the first time in my life I know what real happiness is like." She almost skipped, but held her feet in a slow walk. Never in her life did she think it would be possible. Her life had been so full of heartache and pain. First losing her mother, then her father distancing both her and Lucy emotionally, it had all been painful. But now, now it all felt like it didn't matter. She was where she wanted to be.

"You've never been happy before?" He asked.

"Not since my mother died." She slipped her left elbow between his arm and his body. She hugged his arm with her right hand, her left ear resting on his shoulder.

Cark smiled at her closeness. It meant the world to him that she was happy. He wished someday he could find that true happiness. He would have told her that he was happy too, but there were too many things in his life that kept him worried and afraid . "I'm glad you feel that way Lois."

She closed her eyes in pleasure as she continued to walk with him. She felt a bristle against her legs. Opening her eyes, she noticed Shelby walking around her feet. He was wagging his tail ferociously as he circled them over and over. Even the sight of the mangy dog couldn't break her attitude. In truth, Shelby was a part of her present state of joy. She had recently realized that no matter what she wanted for personal gain and accomplishment, nothing could replace the feeling of being loved. God, how could life be this simple? She asked herself.

"What's got you so happy?" Clark asked, faintly scratching Shelby's ears as he bent down slightly.

"Everything Smallville, you, your parents, the farm, and even Shelby. It's all making feel like I belong."

Clark turned smiled down at her hugging his arm. "You'll always belong here Lois. No matter what happens, we'll always be here for you."

She was about to stop him to kiss him again, but she heard Mr. Kent yell at them from the house. They were nearly almost half way back to the bush, but they could still hear him.

"Clark!" Jonathon yelled again.

"Coming!" Clark hollered back. He sighed as he slowly turned himself and Lois around so that they could walk towards the house. "I wonder what he wants." He asked aimlessly.

"It's almost time for your date."

Clark groaned, his eyes dropping to the ground. He kicked himself for the thousandth time. He shouldn't have accepted the date. "I don't want to ruin your mood Lois, I can cancel it."

Lois shook her head, still smiling. "Don't you dare, I won't let you hurt her like that." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "My mood will not change Clark, I know that I'm the one you want, the one you need. That in itself is what will keep me happy." Her smile broadened as she scratched Shelby's head. "Plus, I have this guy to keep me company tonight."

He laughed at her last comment. "Don't you have any plans? I'm sure Chloe has something you can do with her."

Lois shrugged. "Beats me, I haven't spoken to her since this morning. It's weird actually; she usually calls me at least once a day."

"Do you have your cell on you?" He asked

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Just wondering what?" Lois asked, her right eyebrow raised.

"Nothing." Clark replied, his eyes turning off to the distance. A small smile crept onto his lips.

She couldn't help but notice his stupid grin. "Wipe that off your face, or I will." She warned.

"Hey, I don't see you with a hot date tonight." He laughed at her a second later.

Lois, while still holding his hand, punched him in the shoulder. "I could get a date like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"I'm more than sure that Shelby will go out with you. You may not like him very much, but he likes you. Take him out to eat and I'm sure he'll give you a slobbery kiss."

His eyebrows waggled in mirth as she stared up at him. "At least he knows when to shut up." She growled at him.

"Oh boo hoo." Clark snorted.

"Actually, that reminds me." She let go of his hand just as they rounded the barn towards the house. "I need to feed Shelby."

"That's my job." Clark argued, about to follow her towards the barn.

"You go get ready. I'll see you before you go, now scram." She smiled back at him and turned and went into the barn. "Here Shelby." She hollered.

Clark watched Shelby follow after as he turned himself around and sprinted towards the house. Reaching the front door, he ripped it open and shook off his boots. He heard his father say something, but he ignored it and ran up the stairs.

In a matter of minutes, he had sped his way through a shower and his wardrobe. He stood in front of the mirror, looking at his choice of dress. His semi-formal attire didn't look too bad. In truth, he looked much more like Kal than he did himself. Usually he would have worn a blue dress shirt, but he wasn't sure if he could be able to keep himself from sweating. As much as he hated the alter part of himself, he did have to admit that Kal had a good sense of fashion. He heard a few steps behind him as he rolled up the sleeves of the dark green dress shirt.

"Don't tuck it in." Lois said, closing the door behind her as she smiled at him.

"You think so?" He asked, turning in the mirror to make sure.

"I know so." She replied, walking up to him and tugging on his belt from behind. "You also need to use something other than deodorant. Have any cologne around here somewhere?"

Clark turned to her and noticed she was rooting around in one of the drawers. "There might be some in there somewhere." He said, walking up beside her.

Lois fished out a bottle of brown liquid and opened it and gave a sniff. She almost felt her knees buckle at the thought of him wearing it. It was the perfect scent for him. "Lift your chin." She said, dripping some of it into a cupped hand.

"I can do it myself Lois." He grunted.

Lois just ignored him and rubbed her hands together. She softly wiped her hands on both sides of his neck and chin. "There." She said, slapping him softly with her right hand. She smiled up at him triumphantly.

"I don't think I should go." He said, his hands finding a way to the back of her head.

"You have to." She responded, her lips brushing his as she leaned her face up to his.

"I don't want to."

"Neither do I, but you have to." She kissed him lightly, his new scent driving her hormones wild.

"No, I'm staying here." He said. The touch of her sweet lips to his told him exactly where he wanted to be.

Lois knew the only way to get him to leave, was leaving, herself. She pulled away from his mouth, not realizing how hard it really was. "Go." She said, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling heavily.

"I can't." He replied, leaning in for another taste.

She stepped away and headed out the door as quickly as she could.

Clark looked at the now empty space and followed her to the door. He peeked out and noticed her walk into the bathroom, her smile still wider than ever. That smile told him she wasn't going to get out until he left. Sighing, he picked his wallet up off the dresser and put it in his back pocket. He closed the door behind and went down the stairs.

Martha found her son rooting for his nice pair of shoes. "Honey, you look…" She didn't know what to say.

"Like Kal?" he chuckled, his hands finally finding his black dress shoes in the pile. He wiped the dust and scuffs off them and slipped them on.

"Well, you said it, not me." Martha smiled.

Clark just grabbed the keys to the truck off of the counter. He almost forgot his cell phone, but grabbed it and slipped it into his right pocket. "Bye." He said, running out the door and towards the truck. He was already ten minutes late.

Martha could have sworn his enthusiasm had been fake. The look on his face seemed genuine, but the movement of his hands and feet lied. Still confused, she picked up a stack of laundry and walked her way upstairs. She went to the bathroom and went to open the door. Her hand stopped suddenly as she heard soft crying, followed by numerous sniffs. "Lois dear, are you okay?"


	33. Chapter 33

Ch. 33

Lois could hear Martha from behind the door. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks. "I'm fine." She said, getting to her feet and walking towards the tub.

"You don't sound fine." Martha replied, still holding the pile of towels in her hands as she leaned her ear against the door. "Is there anything you need to talk about?"

"No Mrs. Kent, like I said, I'm fine."

Martha felt a little hurt at Lois's words. It wasn't like the young woman to be so downright rude. "I'm opening the door young lady; I have laundry to put away. I hope you're decent." She would try the tough love approach, even if Lois had gotten it from her father in the past. Opening the door, she peeked in to see what Lois was doing. It surprised her to see the young women with her knees tucked up under her chin as she leaned against the tub. She found the small closet and inserted the towels. "What's really wrong Lois?" She asked again.

"Nothing." Lois repeated, staring blankly at her feet.

"I know full well when you're lying Lois." She sat down beside the young woman. "What's troubling you? Is it my son?" She asked sheepishly.

Lois almost blurted out a yes, but she caught herself momentarily. "No."

"Liar." Martha said with a chuckle. "I've seen the way you two look at each other; there is no doubt in my mind."

Lois laughed too; she knew full well that Clark's mom wasn't a push over. "I could never lie to you." She smiled. "Yes, it's about your son."

-

Clark pulled the truck up to the house in. He was nervous, not for himself, but for Lois. The guilt of leaving her behind while he went on a date with another woman was eating him up. "You can do this." He reassured himself verbally. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped out onto the street.

The house was located in a new suburb of Smallville, problem was that the damn suburbs had tricky streets; he had spent almost five minutes looking for the right neighborhood. Readjusting his shirt, he made the short and arduous walk up to the front door. He didn't realize his hands were shaking until he lifted a finger to push the doorbell.

He rocked back and forth on his feet as he saw a shadow getting bigger behind the door.

"Hi Clark." Abbey said cheerfully, opening the door to let him. "You look great." He walked inside and she got a good whiff of his cologne. Her knees began to buckle, her hand clenching onto the door to keep herself upright.

Clark stuffed his hands into his pockets as he looked at her. "You look great yourself." He commented with a shaky voice. She did look great, he couldn't lie. She had bright blue dress on that was cut low on the breast, and high on the thigh. Her hair was curled and long. Swallowing hard, he tried to push away the thoughts that screamed lust.

"Just let me get my shoes and we can get going."

Clark just nodded glumly as he watched her leave the front room. His eyes lingered on her retreating form as he tried once again to push away thoughts he shouldn't be thinking. "I'm with Lois." He said to himself. "Smarten up Kent."

"What was that Clark?" Abby asked, coming towards him, slipping her stilettos on as she hopped around.

"Nothing, just talking to myself."

"Okay." She looked at him suspiciously, but tossed a smile his way as she went for the door. "Let's go."

Clark smiled back as he opened the door and let her out. Closing it behind himself, he followed her towards the truck and opened the passenger door for her.

"Thank you." She smiled, getting in a putting on the seat belt.

Clark sighed heavily as he walked around the back of the truck and to his own side. He opened the door and slipped in. It was going to be a long night.

It had been a quick drive to the school, but in reality, it hadn't been quick enough. The whole night wouldn't be over quick enough. Parking the truck, they both exited and went for the school doors. It had been close to a year since he had walked the halls of the school. In truth, he had no desire to return, but one night wouldn't hurt.

They walked down the halls and towards the gym, her hand finding his instinctively. He thought about shrugging out of her grip, but that would have been much too rude. So he grin and bore it all, his jaw clenching tightly as he felt some nervousness settle in. It wasn't like he hung out with anybody from high school, but he did know a few of the people he was likely to be surrounded by.

He took a deep breath and waited while Abby let the person at the desk stamp her hand as she handed them two tickets. He put his hand out to get stamped, but he retracted it instantly. The stamping pad on the table was red, and something triggered concern. "No stamp." He said with a low voice.

"But you need one if you decide to go outside and get back in." The girl at the desk was arguing.

He just shook his head slowly. "I won't be leaving until it's over, don't worry." The girl at the desk was about to talk back, but he just leaned down on the desk with his knuckles. "No stamping my hand, that's final. Got it?" he asked with a grave tone.

"Yes." The woman squeaked.

"Good." Clark said, standing back up and flashing a grin. "Let's get inside then." He turned back to Abby and opened the gym door for her.

Her perspective of him being a naïve farm boy changed when he had forcefully scared the young woman. He had always seemed so sweet, but seeing him even the slightest bit angry made her feel safe. Clark could obviously intimidate anyone with his height, but his voice had been so deep. It turned her on to say the least. The sound of music raided her ears as he opened the door and let her walk inside. Smiling up at him, she grabbed his right hand and led him into the gym.

Clark looked around at the people who watched them walk in. He didn't like their penetrating eyes, but he managed to ignore them. Something within told him the women were all insanely jealous, and with his new found confidence, he wondered if he could have them. As soon as he thought about it, he began to shake his head to bring himself back to earth. Instead of fighting his mental battles, he looked around at the gym. The lights were lit low, and there were tables set up around the walls, leaving a large space for dancing. It wasn't quite the prom, but it was close.

A sly grin came to his face for some reason, as if everything in the world centered on him. Once again, he shook his head and led Abby to an empty table. He pulled out a chair for her and let go of her hand. As soon as her hand let go of it, his knees went wobbly. "Damn it." He groaned.

"What was that?" Abby asked, turning towards him and looking up.

"Nothing." He reassured her. "I'll go get us something to drink."

"Okay, but hurry back." She said softly, grabbing his hand and squeezing it for an instant.

A sudden rush of anger and bore washed over him. When she let go, it all disappeared again. He smiled weakly and walked his way over to the table where the punch bowl sat. He had been right; the stamps had traces of red kryptonite in them. Just the simple touch of Abby's hand had been enough to release trace amounts of Kal's personality. It scared him, but what scared him the most was the fact that he welcomed the feeling. It felt oddly right, as if that's who he really was. He shivered a little as he found two plastic cups and filled them with punch. Grabbing a few napkins, he stuffed them into his left pocket. Turning around, he bumped into a smaller fellow, and almost spilt the drinks. "Sorry." He said. The person turned around and looked up at him. Clark knew the guy. "Jordan? wow, nice to see you." He slipped both cups into one hand and shook the youngster's hand.

"Hey Clark, haven't seen you since you helped me with that vision problem of mine." He laughed as he let go of the larger man's hand. "I don't think I can thank you enough for that."

"Don't worry about it; I'm just glad to see that you're able to come to school."

"All thanks to you." He said in response. "I didn't think you were still in high school, you here with a date?"

"Yeah. How about you?"

Jordan looked around and grinned sheepishly. "She's around here somewhere."

"Well, we're at a table over in the back corner. When you find her, come join us."

"Will do."

Clark nodded and headed back to the table. His mood had lifted at the sight of Jordan. The young man had spent so much of his life afraid because he could see people's death. It was good to see the young man was living a normal life now.

"What's got you so happy?" Abby asked as she watched him sit down beside her and hand over a drink.

"I just saw someone I haven't seen in a couple years." He continued to grin as he took a small sip, his eyes lingering on the people who danced in front of the tables.

"Anyone I might know?"

"Jordan Cross?"

She furrowed her brow. "Can't say I know him."

Clark nodded and set his drink on the tablecloth. "Oh, before I forget." He reached over and grabbed her hand. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a napkin and licked it. He began to remove the red stamp on her hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"These stamps aren't good." He said with a concerned voice, finally getting the mark off her skin. Pleased, he set the napkin on the table and relaxed a bit.

"What's wrong with them?" She asked, looking from him to the napkin slowly.

"You really want to know?" He asked, gauging her curiosity

"Yes."

He sighed, she wasn't going to like his answer. "Those stamps have traces of red meteor rock in them." He watched as her eyes went wide.

"Wow, I would have had no idea." Her voice was a little shaky. "How did you know?"

"I've had my run in with the stuff." He said softly, taking another drink of his punch. "I was surprised you couldn't feel it."

Abby shrugged. "I may have had my problems with the regular meteor rocks, but that was only because the liquid was still in my body at the time. I'm meteor free and have been so for quite a awhile now."

He could tell she wasn't to happy talking about it, so he just put his hand on the table and squeezed hers. "Don't worry about it. This is a night to have fun, don't let a silly stamp ruin it."

"I don't plan to." She smiled at him.

Clark forced a weak grin in response. Her smile was almost as brilliant as Lois's, but not quite. He spied Jordan making his way to them, a lovely petite brunette hanging of his right arm. The grin on his face was priceless, but her smile was just as wide. "Jordan, have a seat. This is Abby." He said.

Jordan held out a seat for his girlfriend and sat down himself. "Nice to meet you Abby." He smiled at her and looked to Clark. "This is Bridget." He said with a sloppy grin.

Clark nodded to the young woman, whose face reddened a little at his sign of acknowledgment. Leaning back in his chair, he watched the couple talk to one another. He leaned his head and whispered to Abby. "You don't look too thrilled to see her."

Abby shot her head around and stared at him. "She rubs me the wrong way."

"How?"

"I don't know really, I just don't like the way she was looking at you." She peered back to the woman across from her.

Clark laughed softly. Women were certainly territorial he thought to himself. Then why wasn't Lois? He smiled to himself. Lois wasn't like other women.

"What are you smiling at?" Abby asked, finding his hand an entwining her fingers in his.

He moved himself in his seat at her touch. Every time she touched him it felt as if he was cheating. It was just a simple touch, but it conveyed such strong emotions. "Nothing." He said tentatively. "Care to dance?"

She smiled brightly. "I thought you'd never ask."

-

Lois sat on the couch, her left leg tucked neatly under her rear end as she watched tv. She had the house to herself as both the elder Kent's had been invited to a neighbors birthday party. Sighing, she changed the channel; it was going to be long night. She had been upset about Clark's date, but the talk she had had with Martha made her come to many conclusions. First off, Clark wasn't going to do anything stupid, and second of all, he was likely the only person in the world she trusted. It was incredibly relieving to open up to his mother, her soft and kind words meant everything to her.

A knock at the door brought her out of her happy little world. Shooting up out of the couch, she shuffled her bare feet over towards the front door. Smiling broadly, she opened it. "Hey cuz!" She said quickly, allowing her cousin to walk in.

"Hello Lois." Chloe said slowly. "What's gotten into you, you sound, and dare I say, happy?"

Lois rolled her eyes and closed the door. "I don't need you ruining my good mood. Now, did you bring the movie?"

"Yes." Chloe replied with a grin, pulling the dvd out of her purse.

"Wonderful!" Lois exclaimed, grabbing it and heading into the living room.

Chloe followed her cousin and sat down on the couch as Lois inserted the dvd into he player. "So, what's got you so happy?"

Lois pulled away from the tv and flopped down beside her cousin on the couch. "I have the house to myself, no brooding farm boy." She grinned wildly as she pressed the play button.

"How was your shopping earlier, you never let me ask you on phone."

Lois shrugged as she watched previews on the screen. "It wasn't too bad, met a friend of Clark's."

"Who." Chloe asked.

"Victor Stone."

Chloe's eyebrows shot up at the name. She remembered his name from what Clark had told her about him. He was half man half machine. "What's he like?"

"Nice guy, but I particularly like his girlfriend, reminds me a lot about myself." Lois smiled as she continued to watch the tv screen.

"Already pushing Clark out of the best friend circle?" Chloe laughed.

Lois looked over at her cousin and rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, who ever said Smallville was my best friend?"

"I believe you did Lois, this morning or last night. I can't really remember though, I might have been drinking." She rubbed her temples for emphasis.

"You really need to learn how to drink cuz. I thought you would have picked up some drinking skills at college, but I guess I was wrong." Lois stared at her cousin and looked to the tv slyly.

Chloe swatted Lois on the knee. "I go to learn at school, not how to drink." She smiled wildly.

"Are you insinuating something?"

"Maybe."

Lois ignored her and turned up the volume. "Now, go get me something to drink before I swat you back for making fun of me."

Chloe laughed as she got up off the couch and went to the fridge. She stopped at the counter as she spied a card sitting upright. It was none of her business, but she couldn't help herself. She smiled as she saw the contents inside. "You never told me they were getting married." She shouted from the kitchen as she set the card back down.

"Who?" Lois shouted back from the living room.

"Victor and Katherine."

"Oh, must have slipped my mind." She bit back another comment, one about Clark.

Chloe pulled a couple of sodas from the fridge and headed back into the living room. "So, are you going?"

Lois looked at her cousin strangely. "I do believe that invitation is for Clark, not me."

"Yes, but it said for Clark and a date. As his best friend, I would assume you were going with him."

Lois laughed haughtily. "That, my favorite cousin, is beyond logic. I think he'll be taking his high school bimbo." She took the offered drink and snapped open the tab.

"Bimbo? Lois, I didn't think you were that cold. You don't like Abby?"

She just stared at Chloe with a puzzled look. "How can you even ask that? Her mother almost fried my brain. The apple doesn't fall from the tree." She took a drink as she focused her eyes on the screen again.

"How can you say that Lois? The woman is nothing like her mother. I'm just surprised you have any opinion about who Clark's dating." She smiled as she took a small sip from her own can.

Lois caught the grin from her cousin and frowned. "Hey, the man has done the same to me. He's gotten thorny about all the people I've dated."

"Yes Lois, he has, but he's been right on every occasion. Well, save Arthur, but then again, he's a little different that your average human."

Lois sighed in frustration. Her cousin was right, about Clark's protectiveness, and about AC. Her head snapped over to Chloe suddenly. "Wait, how do you know that AC isn't exactly human?"

"Oh shi-." Chloe clamped her hand over her mouth suddenly. She slipped up, now she was in deep.

"Don't hold out on me cuz, how in the world do you know about AC. He told me no one else knew."

Chloe let her hand fall to her lap. She was going to get Clark in trouble, but she couldn't pull herself out of this one. "I uh, well, Clark knows too."

"What!" Lois almost screamed. "How in the world did he know?"

She felt her chest constricting as she realized the fine line she was treading. "Clark and he were got along better than you think. In fact, I think they still talk to each other now and then." The words came out with some thought, but they were really the only thing she could come up with on the spot.

Lois just shook her head slowly. "That makes no sense. I could have sworn Smallville hated him."

"Clark doesn't hate people Lois, he's just wary of those who associate themselves with those close to him. With AC, it was a concern for you, but I think it eventually became more of a worry towards Arthur. AC had gotten into Lex's grip, and Clark helped him out of it." She cringed as she let more slip. She swore under her breath at her stupidity.

"He never said anything about that." Lois said softly.

"That's Clark, he doesn't gloat about what he does, even if he tends to do more good than any other person on this earth."

She sat there and smiled. He really was the most caring and helpful person she had ever met. He helped so many people and yet he never took credit. He took the simple pleasure of the other person's happiness as the reward for his good deed. Her mind drifted back to that day in the loft, the same day AC left. _"Lois, I promise you, one day you'll meet someone who is even more special." _How true his words had been, for Clark really was that special.

"You're smiling again Lois, what in the world has gotten into you?"

She almost blurted out Clark's name, but she caught herself before she tore the lid off the whole can of worms. "Nothing, just remembering something."

"Right." Chloe said slowly, if not condescendingly. "I'm going to the bathroom." She got up and went towards the stairs.

Lois focused more on the movie as she continued to drain the liquid from the can in her hand. She realized that Chloe was going to find out eventually. The woman had an appetite for information that no one else had. She admired her cousin for it, and if anything else, she was probably a little jealous too.

"Lois, can you come up here?" Chloe shouted suddenly.

"You can't be as helpless as Smallville, the bathroom is at the end of the hallway!"

"No, come up here, it's not about the bathroom."

"Fine!" Lois shouted, setting her drink on the coffee table as she got up and moved towards the stairs. "This better be good, I was comfortable." She trudged up the stairs and looked for her cousin. "Where are you?"

"In Clark's room." Chloe responded.

"Why would you be in Clark's room?" She asked, walking into the bedroom. Her eyes widened as she saw her cousin standing there with a bright red dress hanging from her hand. She kept her bitterness as she tried to hide her surprise. Walking up, she yanked the dress away and slipped it into the closet.

"Lois?"

She ignored her cousin as she turned back to the bed and picked up the shoebox. Slipping it into the closet too, she went to walk back out the door, but her cousin's hand found her arm.

"What's with the new dress Lois? That's an expensive number. I saw the shoes too. You have a hot date?"

Lois swallowed hard. She didn't know what to say.

Chloe took her silence with muffled confusion. "At least tell me when you got it?"

"This afternoon, in Metropolis." Lois made another move to leave the room, but again Chloe held her arm. "Damn it Chloe, let go."

"Not until you tell me what you plan on doing with it."

Lois sighed heavily and turned towards her. "It's for Victor and Katherine's wedding."

"I thought you said you weren't invited?" Chloe frowned.

Lois shrugged and left the room instantly. She made her way down the stairs and back into the living room. Chloe could be heard yelling at her from behind, but she chose to ignore her. Flopping back onto the couch, she hit the play button on the remote.

Chloe was so confused; she didn't know what in the world was going on. "Lois, what's going on with the dress, the wedding, and everything else?" She sat back beside her cousin and stared at her passive features.

"Nothing." Lois said as she turned the volume up even louder. Chloe always had a way of getting her to open up, and talking to her at all would likely raise the chances that she'd spew it all.

Getting angry, Chloe grabbed the remote and turned off the tv. "Spew it Lane." She ordered.

"No." Lois shot back, grabbing the remote to turn the tv back on.

"Yes!" Chloe shouted, ripping the remote from her again. "Tell me or I damage that dress of yours." She smiled evilly.

"You lay one finger on that dress and I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life." Lois shifted herself to stare at her cousin.

"You wouldn't dare hurt me Lois, we're family."

"Try me?" Lois seethed.

Chloe smiled again and slowly got up off the couch. Lois rose with her, and then suddenly both of tthem were off running towards the stairs. Chloe reached them first, her shorter legs making for easier pivoting and turning. Up the stairs she galloped, her laughter cutting through the walls.

Lois growled in anger as she followed her stouter cousin towards her bedroom. "Chloe!" She shouted as she was shut out of the room. Her cousin had locked it. "Damn you!" She hollered.

Chloe dug the dress out of the closet and found a permanent marker on the dresser. She pulled the cap from the marker and walked to the door, unlocking it.

She heard the door get unlocked, and she opened it in a hurry. She gasped as she saw Chloe standing there with a marker and her dress in hand. "Don't you even dare!" She growled.

"I am daring Lois. Now, you tell me why you're going to the wedding, and who with, or I'm going to ruin it."

"Chloe, come on, quit playing around. This is serious." She pleaded and took a step forward.

Chloe pulled back and put the marker closer to the dress. "So is this Lois. I'm sick and tired of not getting any answers from you. You have sex with Clark and you won't talk to me about it, and now you're going to a wedding and you won't even tell me about it. I start to get the feeling you don't trust me."

Lois stared at her cousin, who was almost in tears. "I'm sorry Chloe, It's not that I don't trust you, it's just things are complicated enough as it is."

"What are you talking about Lois? Is this about Clark?" When her cousin's head dropped to the floor, she got her answer. "So, you do have it in for him?" She asked with a shaky tone.

Lois looked up at Chloe and nodded softly.

Chloe stood there, a little dumbstruck. "Come on Lois, it's just an infatuation."

"I do not get infatuations Chloe." She hissed.

"Then…?"

"Yes. I'm falling for that stupid plaid covered boy." Her words were tearing Chloe apart. She could see the pain in her eyes.

Chloe felt a tightening in her gut. "Then the car sex?"

Lois went and sat on the bed, her head buried deep into her open palms. "That was the first time."

"You mean you guys did it again?" She croaked with a hoarse voice.

Lois nodded in her hands. "We did it again this morning in the shower, and sort of in the car on the way back from Metropolis."

Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood dumbstruck, her eyes threatening to release tears. "The dress?"

"Clark's taking me to the wedding."

Once again Chloe almost cried. "Then you guys are dating?"

Lois nodded her head again.

"But he's at the dance with Abby."

"So?"

"You're letting him date other people?"

"He made the date before we decided to be together. I couldn't very well let him hurt her."

Chloe almost laughed. "You two are perfect for each other."

Lois's head came up suddenly. "What?"

"You both sacrifice your feelings and desires so that you don't hurt other people. What you don't realize is that you are hurting Clark by making him go through with the date. You're selfish Lois, you'd rather hurt him than yourself."

She got up and screamed at her smaller cousin. "Do you not think I'm hurting? I spent a whole day with Clark, being happy and bubbly. That's right, I said bubbly, and I can't tell you how painful it is to watch the man you love go off and have to date another woman."

Chloe almost fell to the floor in surprise. "D-did y-you just s-say you loved Clark?"

Lois stared wide eyed at her cousin. "Oh my god!" She said in horror.

No matter how torn and upset she was, Chloe couldn't help but crack a soft giggle. "His life is over."


	34. Chapter 34

I would like to thank everyone for their fine words of encouragement. Thank you goes out to those who also just read, but don't reply, the hit count is truly heart warming. This fic in no way near finished, but I will be taking the month of February off on this thing. I will continue to work on my other story and likely start another one or two. My goals have been far surpassed on this piece of work, so I can contently leave it here for the time being.

See you in a month.

Ch. 34

Abby held her head close to his chest, her ear listening to the soft beating of his heart as they danced slowly. Clark was quite inept at dancing to a fast beat, but he was certainly apt at slow dancing. She smiled to herself, it was all so perfect.

Clark danced begrudgingly, his head getting mixed up in her perfume and closeness. He kept telling himself that he shouldn't be holding her so close, but she seemed to insist on it. He saw Jordan give him a toothy grin as he spied the boy and his date dancing just a few feet away. Giving the lad a nod, he continued to move slowly to the music. There was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned around to notice a chaperone standing just a few steps away. He stopped dancing and disengaged himself from Abby. "Yes?"

"There's a phone call for you Mr. Kent." The person said.

Raising a quizzical eyebrow, he nodded and followed. He turned back to Abby as he walked away, backwards. "Be right back." He said with a weak smile. She grinned back, but it didn't make him feel any better. He followed the chaperone to the hallway and into the principal office. He was handed the phone and waited until the person left the room before he answered it. "Hello?"

"_Clark, its Victor." _

"Victor, why are you calling me here?" He didn't like the tone in his friend's voice.

"_We have a problem. Those women showed up at my house looking for you." _

"Damn, where are they now?"

"_They're on their way to Smallville. Kat and I are already in town, but I dropped her off at the farm with Chloe and Lois." _

"Are you guys okay, did they hurt you?" These women were certainly relentless.

"_No, they were too preoccupied with finding you." _

Clark rubbed a sweaty hand through his hair. "All right Victor, I'll meet you out in front of the school." He hung up the phone and rushed back into the gym. He found Abby at their table with both Jordan and his date. "Abby, I have to go for a bit, something has come up at home. Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I can. Jordan, watch out for her while I'm gone." He said it in a hurry, and turned away to leave before any of them could say anything.

Not bothering to see if Abby had followed him, he raced out of the gym and down the halls towards the entrance. Opening the doors, he was greeted with a right hand to his face. He only caught a peek at who it was before he went flying back into the wall behind him, some thirty feet away. The brick and cement crumbled as he hit it with alarming force. His body slid to the floor as he groaned in pain. Opening his eyes, he managed to see two blurry images approach him, their long legs striding purposely towards him. "What do you want?" He asked meekly, getting to a knee with considerable trouble.

"You Kal-El, we've told you this before." The brunette smiled evilly and walked right up to him.

"I will not let you hurt anyone, and that includes me." He stood on wobbly legs, trying to gain some kind of upper hand. He rubbed his head. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.

"Wondering why it hurts?" The blond laughed loudly, her voice piercing the hallways. She reached slowly into her coat pocket and pulled out a green meteor rock. "Oh, we know your weakness." She laughed again.

Clark doubled over in pain, his stomach flipping violently. "No." he gasped. Falling to a knee, he felt a swift boot land to the bridge of his nose. His head jerked back at the contact, his neck wrenching horribly backwards. A pop could be heard as he fell to the floor.

The two women stood overtop of him, their smiles deadlier than their fists. "Your father told us you'd put up a better fight. Pity, we thought this would have been a little more challenging." Looking to her blond sister, she smiled even wider. "We are almost free, let's get him to these caves so that we can be finished with all this."

The two of them picked him up, but not before she slipped the rock into his pant pocket. They didn't need any surprises. He was heavy, but it wasn't a problem. Heading towards the entrance, they heard someone coming towards them. The blond turned her head to see a woman with blond hair, in a blue dress, coming towards them.

"Clark!" Abby screamed, running towards him. He looked unconscious, his head dangling dangerously to one side.

The younger sister shifted Kal-El's weight into her left hand as she reached into her coat. Snarling, she pulled out a gun and fired it at the woman coming towards them. When the woman dropped to the floor in a pool of blood, she put the smoking weapon back inside her coat. "Let's go." She said, moving towards the doors with him still dangling helplessly in their grasps.

Working their way out into the parking lot, they shifted him around and got him inside the trunk of the Ferrari. Shutting the lid, they entered the vehicle and took off. Things couldn't have gone better, they had the package, and they were going to be set free. It was too bad someone had died though, that would haunt them forever, as all the people they killed did, but it was a price they'd willingly accept for their freedom.

The car screamed down the streets of the quiet town. They were about to run a red light when another car came screeching from the right of the intersection and stopped right in front of them. The brunette hit the brakes as hard as she could, turning the steering wheel at the same time. Their car came to a sudden halt as it slid into the intersection, parallel to the other. They looked out the driver's side window as a dark form exited the vehicle.

Victor opened the door and got out, his anger betraying all his senses. He watched as the two women exited the vehicle. One pulled a gun as he strode towards them. He had been expecting that, and before she fired off a shot, he had vaulted into the air; his bionic legs helping him with his height and distance.

Mandy watched as the man jumped into the air, his body flying overtop of the car and her head. As she watched, her head and body turning with him, and before she knew it, he was standing in front of her. So surprised, she had completely forgotten that she had a gun in her hand. The next thing she knew, her gun was crushed in his strong fingers. She stared at him in complete shock as he wrapped his hands around her throat.

Victor sneered as he pushed her up against the car, his hands wrapped tightly around her throat. The car was small, so he easily held her down against the top of it. His vision drifted up and across the car to the other woman. "Get Clark out of there." He growled. When she didn't seem to respond, he screamed at her. "Now!" His hands began to tighten even more, the woman's throat eliciting a gasp and a loud gargle.

Courtney walked to the trunk and opened it. She wanted to be rid of all of it, but not at the cost of another sister. Blood was stronger than duty, and she would do anything to not be alone. Grabbing him from the trunk, she hauled him out onto the pavement.

He caught a look at Clark and almost released his grip. His friend looked dead, his head hanging limply to one side. "What did you do to him?" He asked.

She pulled his limp form towards the dark man. "We had to neutralize him, so we broke his neck. He's still breathing though."

"How?" He asked. "He's invulnerable."

"Oh, you'd think so, but his father showed us his weakness. Silly that someone so powerful could be overcome by a simple rock." She got within ten feet of her sister and the man with his hands around her throat.

"What about your leg. It was broken?" He tightened his hand even tighter around the other woman's throat. "Take another step towards me and I snap her like a twig." The brunette was too close for comfort.

"That? Well, it seems Kal-El's father has his own special talents." She smiled as she watched the dark man look down at Clark. She took it as her opening and did something bold. Reaching into her coat, she pulled out her own gun and pointed at him. "Let her go, or I shoot."

Victor was more than surprised to look back up and see a gun pointed in his direction. "I can kill her before you shoot me."

"I don't think so." She said in a low voice, her thumb cocking the trigger.

"Try me." He seethed. He had to loosen his grip on the woman's throat to make sure he didn't kill her.

So there they stood, a stand off ensuing as they stared each other down. Victor had a plan, but it was risky. He had no other choice though. "Remove whatever's hurting Clark, and I'll let her go."

"What makes you think I'm that stupid?" She asked with almost a laugh.

He shrugged and tightened his grasp. "Your love of your sister; you lack the upper hand. Clark is my friend, not my blood, but I have your sister, she is everything to you."

She watched as he grinned wickedly at her. He was right of course, Mandy was her only living sister, and she couldn't risk loosing her.

Victor heard the sirens of cop cars in the distance. "You better hurry up."

"Alright." She said heatedly. With her gun still pointed at him, she bent down slowly, her hand finding its way into Kal-El's pocket. Grabbing a hold of the meteor rock, she removed it from his pants and got back up.

"Toss it." Victor ordered.

"Let go of her first." She said in return.

He tightened his grip even more, her face going blue from the lack of oxygen. "Toss it!" He said again, his tone deadly.

Seeing her sister go blue, she nodded and tossed the rock away. A few groans and squeaks could be heard from the unmoving body at her feet. "Now, let her go."

Victor looked down at Clark and saw his friend's head twitching violently, as if his neck was trying to snap back into place. His gaze lingered back up to the brunette. "No." he smiled, his teeth breaking into a wide grin.

She fired her gun at his answer, the echo ringing throughout the streets.

The last part of his plan fell into place as he had expected her to shoot. What she didn't see was that he had positioned the blond between the gun and himself. Looking down, he saw the pained expression of the woman, and the blood that was coming out her mouth. It made him sick, but he held fast to her throat. When he looked up at the brunette, she was staring with wide eyes, the gun slipping out of her grasp. He dropped the woman from his hands likewise, and walked up and grabbed the gun from the street. Shoving it into his pants as he went over and picked up a limp, but alive Clark Kent. He was about to walk back to his car, but he hesitated, looking back to the brunette who was cradling her sister's head in her hands. "Like I said, you loved her." With that, he simply walked to his seventy-six Camaro and slipped Clark into the passenger seat.

He could see that Clark's neck had already righted itself, but he was still fighting for consciousness. "Don't worry Clark, you'll be alright." He strapped the seatbelt on him and ran to the other side of the car. Getting in, he shoved the car into reverse and stretched his hand out to hold Clark against the seat. Turning his head back, he sped backwards down the vacant street. Slamming the brakes, he turned the car into a one-eighty. Coming to a halt, he let go of Clark and slammed the car into first gear. The vehicle took off with a screech as the tires peeled and smoked.

-

They had been laughing and having fun over the little fact that she was in love with a brooding farm boy. Chloe had taken it rather easily, even finding a way to rib her endlessly over it. Their fun had ended suddenly when Kat showed up on the doorstep all frantic and distraught. Things were explained rather quickly, but she didn't really understand what was happening. It made no sense at all, but that was Clark, he was a friggin' mystery sometimes.

Kat paced around the kitchen island as she ran her hands through her hair constantly. She looked over to Lois, who had her feet and hands taped together. "Quit struggling Lois, I told you Victor would help Clark."

Lois just screamed at her and her cousin, who sat on a stool at the island. "I understand that you feel Victor can help Clark, but I need to help him too. Let me go!"

Kat just shook her head vehemently. "No Lois, these women are dangerous, we have to make sure you don't do something stupid, like going after him."

"But I love him." It was the only words that she thought might get her out of her little predicament.

"Yes cuz, you've said that multiple times, but this is for your own good." Chloe got up and filled a glass of water.

"Why?" Lois hollered as she hopped around and found a stool to sit on. The duct tape was making her wrists sore. "You're not telling me something, and I want to know what it is." Her voice was demanding and stern.

Kat and Chloe shared an awkward glance.

"Damn it Chloe, untie me!"

"No Lois, we can't let you go." Chloe moved the water close to Lois.

When her cousin came close, she jumped to grab her arm. As she went forward, she caught her knee on the island and toppled over sideways. She landed on the hardwood floor with a thump, her head just missing the counter edge. "Damn it!" She swore again. "I hate you both." She said, struggling to sit upright.

"Maybe we should knock her out?" Kat asked Chloe, a small smile playing on her lips.

Chloe looked over to Lois and grinned just as broadly. "Might not be a bad idea." They both made their way towards her.

Lois backed up against the kitchen counter and looked at them with wide eyes. "You're not serious?" She asked, just a little frightened by their evil grins.

No one had a chance to respond as Martha and Jonathon came crashing through the door. "What's going on?" Jonathon asked, his voice frantic and concerning. He saw Lois tied up and hunkering up against the counter cupboards. "Lois, what are you doing tied up?"

Lois looked over at both Martha and Jonathon, her eyes pleading. "They said something about Clark being in trouble, so I went to go to him and they tied me up."

Martha bent down and undid both her ankles and her wrists. "Now Lois, promise me you will stay here. I'm more than sure Clark can handle himself."

She was instantly to her feet as she was untied. Trying to make her way to the door, she was blocked. "Mr. Kent, please, let me through."

"Lois." He warned her.

"Fine!" She yelled in exasperation. Shuffling to the island, she sat down in a huff.

Jonathon looked around at the people in the kitchen; there was one person he didn't recognize. "Who are you?" He asked the stranger in front of him.

Kat explained who she was, and what exactly was going on. They took it well, but she was sure that Martha was close to tears. The woman looked strong, but then again, her only son was in danger.

Jonathon listened to her, and when she was finished, he stepped out the door and made his way to the car. He heard his wife screaming at him, but it was ignored. His son was in danger, and he knew full well that Clark would need all the help he could get. But before he could open the door, he saw a car come screaming down the driveway in a furry. He stood watch as the vehicle kicked gravel left in right as it stopped just short of him.

Victor stepped out of the car and ran around to the other side. "I'm assuming you're Clark's father?" he asked, opening the passenger door and grabbing Clark's limp body.

"Yes, and you are?" He didn't get and answer as he saw the man lift his son out of the car. "Dear god." He said in shock, as the young man carried his son towards the house. "Let me give you a hand." Jonathon said as he rushed up and got a good look at his son. He wasn't conscious.

"That's fine Mr. Kent, I can manage, but if you don't mind opening the door."

Jonathon nodded and opened the door, letting the dark man carry his son in with little effort. As he followed in behind, he watched as everyone flocked around them.

Victor walked in and set Clark on the couch. He took a step back and allowed his parents and those closest to him get nearer. After a few backwards steps, he fell into the recliner. Letting out a deep sigh, he closed his eyes momentarily. He hoped Clark would be alright, he had certainly gone through enough to save his sorry butt.

"You okay honey?" Kat asked, walking over and kneeling beside him.

He opened his eyes and leaned his head towards his future wife. "I will be, but for now I need a little bit of rest."

"Sure." She smiled, kissing him softly.

Lois was insane, her head running through scenarios and questions at the same time. Everyone around her seemed to know what was going on, and she was the only one who was apparently out of the loop. She would have screamed and yelled for answers, but she was too focused on Clark. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked, standing over the back of the couch.

Martha looked her son over and nodded. "I think so. He's breathing fine, but it looks like he's had a nasty bump on the head."

"Broke his neck actually." Victor said, still sitting back, exhausted.

"What?" Lois asked in confusion. "Then why isn't he at the hospital? Surely a broken neck means-."

Jonathon cut her off. "Lois, help Martha and I carry him upstairs." He grabbed a hold of his son, and with the help of the others, even including Chloe; they managed to get him up the stairs.

Lois removed his shoes and socks as they placed him in his bed. She checked for any physical bumps or bruises herself, but she couldn't find anything. "His neck doesn't seem to be broken." She said in wonder, her eyes trailing up to both the Kent's and her cousin.

Chloe spoke suddenly. "I know Lois; he's going to be okay."

"But what about what Victor said?"

Martha sat on the bed and touched her son's cheek. "I know dear, just let him rest right now. We'll explain everything in the morning." She looked up to stare into a pair of pleading eyes. "Stay with him Lois, we'll be downstairs if you need us."

Her mind screamed for immediate answers, but when Martha told her to stay with him, she couldn't help but feel relaxed. "Okay, but promise me you'll tell me exactly what's going on in the morning."

"I promise Lois." Martha said with a smile. "Goodnight."

Those were the last words she remembered, as she watched them disappear from the room. Slipping out of her clothes, she found a flannel shirt and put it on. Lifting the covers, she lied down in the bed with Clark. He needed to be close to her, and she needed to be close to him. "Whatever it is Smallville, I don't care. I sill love you." She smiled as she cuddled up close to him for warmth.

Downstairs once again, Jonathon sat himself on the couch. He watched as an exhausted young man leaned back in the recliner in front of him. "Victor is it?"

Victor snapped his eyes open. "That's my name." He said with a gruff tone. He just wanted to get some sleep. "Look, I know you want an explanation for everything, but I watched a woman dies in my hands tonight. I hope you can understand that I'm not in the best mood." He shut his eyes and pulled the bottom out on the recliner.

Jonathon was about to talk back, but his wife's hand on his shoulder forced his mouth shut. Nodding, he got up and went to the kitchen.

Martha watched her husband disappear from the living room. She couldn't help wonder how much he was blaming himself, he always found away too. It was a trait that both father and son carried, one that weighed on their hearts, but more physically for her husband. She knew times like these were the toughest on him, and she also knew he had trouble dealing with it. Turning her attention back to Katherine, she pulled a fresh blanket out of the closet. "Katherine, you can take the couch if you wish."

"Thank you." Kat replied with a smile. She took the offered blanket and found a pillow resting up beside one couch arm on the floor. "Mind if I use this too?" She asked politely.

"Go right ahead." Martha replied, smiling. She turned and walked back into the kitchen. Chloe was putting her shoes on. "Are you sure you want to drive home at this hour Chloe, it's past midnight. We do have an air mattress we could set up."

Chloe just smiled and shook her head. "No, my dad and Lana are probably wondering where I am."

"Okay, but make sure to come by around ten tomorrow morning. I'm making a large brunch, and hopefully Clark will be awake so we can get to the bottom of all this."

"I will. Goodnight Mrs. Kent." She said.

"Goodnight Chloe." Martha replied as she watched the young woman walk out the door and down the steps. Sighing heavily, she walked over to the sink to watch the car disappear down the laneway.

"Too many people know his secret." Jonathon said, walking to the fridge.

"They are people who he trusts Jonathon. Clark doesn't put his trust in those he doesn't know."

"Sometimes I think I should have taught him to be more careful." He sighed as he poured himself a glass of milk. "I hate that these types of things keep happening. I just wish it would all go away."

She could here the desperation and pain in his voice. "Yes, I wish that all these problems, Jor-El, the meteor rock affected humans, would just go away too, but we can't think like that. We have to stay vigilant and remember that without all of it, we would have no son."

He put the carton backing the fridge and closed the door. She was correct as always. "I guess we'll get to the bottom of this tomorrow." His gaze went far off as if he was looking for some type of impending doom. "Something just tells me that this one isn't going to get swept under the rug like all the others."

Martha walked over and placed a hand on his arm. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it as a family, like we always have."


	35. Chapter 35

**Thanks for your patience everyone. **

35.

Lois woke with the rise of the sun, her hair covering her eyes from the fresh rays of the morning glow. The blind on the window hadn't been shut. Groaning heavily, she turned her back to the window, only to slam her nose on the rock hard form of Clark, who lay beside her. "Ouch." She said softly, reaching up from under the blanket and rubbing her nose. He didn't as much as stir as she stared at his still body. His clothes clung to him still, not having the chance to remove them the night before.

He still looked unconscious to her. He hadn't moved one inch from the spot he had been put in earlier the night before. She tried to poke him awake, but it didn't work. Sighing heavily, she slipped out of the bed and stretched. A few pops and cracks from her joints could be heard as she let out a soft groan. Putting on her bunny slippers, she trudged towards the door, but stopped to look back at Clark. The quiet snoring seemed perfect, as if he had been practicing for years. Smiling to herself, she slipped out of the door in her pajamas.

It was early, maybe seven in the morning. She hadn't the wherewithal to look at his alarm clock, but she got a pretty good idea from the quietness in the house. Going down the stairs as quietly as she could, she clutched the railing to keep her sleepy body from falling forward. Halfway down the stairs, she stopped to peer into the living room.

There were three slumbering forms littered around the place. Victor was in the reclining chair, Kat in on the couch, and Chloe was sleeping all bundled up on an air mattress. It looked like the motel Kent, and it brought a tight smile to her face as she resumed her descent. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she made her way instantly towards the coffee pot. Her eyes widened at the rich smell as she found a mug and filled it full. She smiled to herself at how Clark would usually chastise her about drinking coffee before eating something. Turning around with a full cup in hand, she was greeted by a warm smile.

"Lois." Martha said in a surprised tone. "I didn't think you'd be up yet."

Taking a well needed sip, she nodded politely. "Me neither, but living here on the farm has a way of getting to me." She smiled in return, her lips parting just slightly so that her teeth were showing.

"I never thought I'd hear that from you." Martha said, still smiling as she refilled her own coffee mug.

"Someone told me they used to be a city girl at heart, until they met someone who changed their perspective on everything." Lois replied with a small laugh as she fished a box of cheerios from on top of the fridge.

Martha grinned widely as she took out a bowl and a spoon for Lois. "Go to the dining room table dear. You don't want to wake anyone up do you?"

"No." Lois responded, dropping her voice lower as she suddenly realized she might have been a little too loud. She turned on her heels and went to the dining room and sat down in her familiar chair. It felt so weird to have a chair that was hers at a dining table. It signified a place in their family, a place where she was always welcome. Clark would probably have laughed at her should she ever tell him that, but somehow she also knew he'd understand. He always did.

Martha set the bowl and the spoon in front of her and went back for the milk.

"You don't have to do that." Lois exclaimed as she began to get up.

"No, no." Martha said hastily as she brought back the milk from the fridge. "Just enjoy your cereal dear."

Lois smirked at the woman, the woman who represented everything she needed in a mother. "Thanks."

"No problem sweetie. Now, I'm going to go check on Clark and get started on some laundry."

She nodded to Mrs. Kent as she poured milk in to the bowl and dropped a few spoonfuls of sugar on top of her cereal. Grinning broadly, she lifted the full spoon to her mouth and emptied it.

"When does Lois Lane wake up at such hours?" Chloe exclaimed as she entered the dining room, rubbing her eyes lazily.

"Chloe." Lois mumbled through a mouthful of sugar covered cheerios.

"That looks tasty." Chloe said a second later, walking over to the kitchen and abruptly bringing back a bowl and spoon of her own. She found a seat and stretched out to grab the box.

Lois snatched the box away. "Ah, ah. You have to say please and ask for the box around here Chloe. Surely you've eaten here enough to know that you must have table manners."

She just grunted at her cousin's early morning chipper attitude. "It's seven in the morning Lois, just pass the damn cereal." She said with a growl. When her cousin didn't pass the box, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Please." Her tone had nothing but pure malice to it.

"See that wasn't hard." Lois said, grinning widely as she took a small sip of her still piping hot coffee.

"You're worse than Clark." She said with a grin, not bothering to look up at her cousin as she filled her bowl.

Lois stared at Chloe with squinted eyes. "Care to elaborate, oh dearest cousin of mine?" She said in a mocking tone.

"No." Chloe smiled, pouring milk in the bowl as she continued to grin triumphantly.

Lois just grunted in displeasure as she looked back down to her bowl and continued to munch away at the remaining cereal.

"How's Clark?" Chloe asked suddenly through a mouthful of cereal.

"Still sleeping. I tried to wake him but it looks like he's gone into hibernation." The corners of her lips lifted slightly as she finished her last spoonful.

Chloe nodded in response. "Being exposed to kryptonite for a long time tends to make him a little sleepy after."

"Kytpa-what?" Lois said with a frown adorning her early morning features.

"Oops." Chloe said in shock, her hand going to her mouth instantly. "Damn!" She groaned heavily.

"Chloe!" Lois grumbled, but was cut from saying anything further by a large form stepping away from the stairs. "Clark?" She asked in surprise. Getting up out off her chair, she walked towards him. He seemed groggy, but conscious, and that in the end was a good thing. "Morning." She said sweetly, leaning upwards and kissing him softly.

Clark hadn't really been paying attention to his surroundings, still a little lost in the memories of yesterday. Or at least he thought they had happened yesterday. Shaking his head, he reopened his eyes to see Lois smiling at him. There was something so precious, so angelic about her lips that all he wanted to do was kiss them again. He would have, but he caught Chloe out the corner of his eye. "Lois!" He said quickly, fear and shock running through him in an instant. "What are you doing?" He asked, feigning nervousness and fear as he removed he removed her hand from his arm.

Chloe began to laugh, finding the sight of Clark trying to hide his confusion and surprise was highly amusing.

"Come on Smallville, do you not think I know she's here." Lois wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. "Plus, I told her about us last night."

"And?" He replied, looking from her and then to Chloe.

Chloe smiled widely as she finished her bowl of cereal. "I'm fine with it Clark, but I must tell you I'm not overly surprised."

"You're not?"

"Nope. You and Lois are made for each other. I see that now."

Clark shook his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked, finally prying Lois off himself.

"Well," Chloe began. "Ever since you two had sex in her car," She grinned as she watched Lois smile, and Clark blush furiously. "I did some really hard thinking. First about both of your evasiveness, then about a serious talk Lois and I had had at the theater a few nights ago. I guess things sort of had a weird vibe to them. It all pointed to one thing, but I was blinded from the truth by my lingering feelings."

Clark didn't know what to say. She still had feelings for him, and it pained him. Sure, she was attractive, and his best friend, well once, but he couldn't picture himself with her like that. "I don't know what to say Chloe; I don't know if sorry is the right word but-."

She cut him off by standing up. He didn't seem to notice that Lois had her arm around his waist in a very loving gesture. "There's no need to be sorry Clark." Chloe said with a weak smile as she moved past them and put her bowl on the island counter. "I will find a way to get past this, but I just hope that you can forgo the sapping smooching for just a little while." Grinning even wider, she moved from the kitchen and up the stairs towards the bathroom.

Seeing that Chloe had disappeared form view, she wrapped her other arm around his waist and stared up at him. "Well Smallville, how are you feeling?"

Clark shrugged a little, dropping his head and whispering into her ear. "Great now that you're here."

She almost blushed, almost, but she whispered back. "That's good to know, but you've got to tell me what happened Clark, you're mom said something about you explaining everything when you woke up."

He sighed and closed his eyes. No matter how much he hated to let someone else in on his secret, he knew that he would have to tell her, she deserved to know. "Okay, but let's go to the loft. I don't want to wake anyone." He said in a shaky voice.

Something about the tone of his voice gave her concern. He seemed scared. Scared of what she wasn't sure, but she could feel dread creeping up on her. "Let me change first." She said, suddenly disengaging herself from him and running up the stairs.

Clark sighed heavily as he went to the door and found a pair of boots. He had changed out of his dress shirt and slacks and was once again in his trademark t-shirt and jeans. Tying up the laces, he stretched back to make sure he was alright. The kryptonite from the night before had done considerable damage, but once it had been removed he knew he was going to be fine. He'd have to make sure to thank Victor for helping him. He knew what had happened. There wasn't a point where he was truly unconscious. They may have thought him so, since his neck was broken, but with his hearing he could tell exactly what had gone on. "Hey Mom." He said, spying her coming out of the laundry room.

"Clark." Martha said with a soft excited whisper. She hurried over to him and looked him over. "How are you feeling honey?" She asked in a hurried hush.

"I'm fine mom." He responded, pushing away her probing hands.

"Have you talked to Lois yet?"

"Why would I need to talk to Lois?" He asked. Did she know? No, she couldn't. Could she?

"Oh Clark, sweetie. We know, and it's okay."

He sighed loudly and dragged a hand over his face. "Does everyone know?" He asked with an annoyed grunt.

"I think so." She smiled at him. "Don't worry about your father, he understands too." Martha patted his arm for good measure. "You don't need to do chores Clark. I can make you breakfast if you'd like?"

"No thanks. Lois and I have some things we need to talk about first. If we feel like eating we'll be back in when we're done." His voice was concerning and scared.

"Okay, but don't hold back sweetie, tell her everything."

He nodded glumly. "I plan to mom. I just hope she can handle it."

Martha smiled and walked towards the fridge as she saw Lois come walking down the stairs in her regular jeans and tank tee. "I think she can." She said, grinning even wider as she looked back at her son.

Clark felt his stomach flutter at the sight of Lois coming towards him. Even in the morning she had a beautiful glow about her. Her hair wasn't in a ponytail, but as it hung loosely around her shoulders he could see the outline where the band usually was. He held the door open for her as she brushed past him, her scent filling his nostrils and causing his head to swim. "God." He breathed softly, walking out the door behind her. Nervousness and fear was taking hold as he went down the porch steps and grabbed a hold of her hand. This was the moment, the moment where he would either be alone forever, or find the one true person who would love him unconditionally. They had only been together for three days, but something felt too right, he had never felt the way he did now. It was giddiness, but mixed in with it were so many other emotions that he had trouble placing.


	36. Chapter 36

Ch. 36

Clark sat on the couch in the loft, his feet planted firmly on the wooden floorboards as he laced his fingers together nervously. Lois was waiting, a look of wonder and excitement clearly etched on her face as she sat beside him. He should have been looking at her, but he was too nervous.

Lois, seeing his tension, crawled over from the other side of the couch. She had sat opposite him because he had asked her too, but she could tell that he needed comfort. "It's okay Clark. You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

He shook his head softly and turned his eyes towards her. Her smile lit up his morning. It washed away his guilt, his pain, and most of all his nervousness. "I love you." He stammered suddenly, obviously surprising her.

Lois almost let go of his hands in shock. She had to blink a few times to fully comprehend what he had just said. "You what?" She asked with wide eyes.

Clark felt his heart begin to tear asunder, her reply not being what he thought it would be. He had been building his confidence on the way up the stairs of the barn, but now everything was crumbling in front of him. When she continued to stare at him, he knew he had been too forthright.

When she saw his eyes sadden and his bottom lip tremble slightly, she leaned over and surprised him with a kiss. "I love you too." She replied against his lips, her hand still wrapped in his meaty hooks.

"I'll understand if you don't." Clark said. "I know you hesitated and I don't want you to feel obligated to have to say it back. Just let me say that the last couple days, no matter how strange they've been, have been the best of my life, and I could spend the rest of eternity alone knowing that I got the chance to know what love really was."

He was doubting himself as usual, his insecurities and nerves coming to the forefront. Smiling, she pushed her lips up against his again to reaffirm her conviction. "There is no obligation Smallville, I love you, and you should never doubt that." When he looked to the floor, she grabbed his ears and pulled his head upwards. With her eyes staring right into his she said. "It may have only been a few days, but they have been the best of my life too, but unlike you, I could never be happy with that. I want you for so much longer."

Her smirk cut into him, his own smile showing as he kissed her this time. The simple fact that she loved him was all he needed. It was the only thing in the world that mattered to him at the moment. With a tight smile, he gently brought her hand from his head and held them in his lap. "Now, with that out of the way, there is something else I need to tell you.

Lois looked at him pleadingly, but couldn't discern the weird and frightened look in his eyes. "Is this about what happened last night?" She asked tenderly.

Sighing, Clark nodded. "Yes, but there is so much more to it." When she continued to stare at him lovingly, he felt the overwhelming need to gush everything at once, but he began slowly. "You know that I'm adopted right?"

"Yes, but what has that to do with anything?" She asked.

Clark almost laughed. "It has everything to do with everything."

"Are you going to tell me you're Canadian or something?"

Clark smiled at her silly joke and tightly smiled. "No, I'm not Canadian Lois."

She smiled even wider as she sat on the couch, her right foot placed underneath her bottom. "Then what is it?"

He took a deep breath. "Has Chloe ever said anything about my birth parents?"

Frowning suddenly, she shook her head. "No, but is there something I should know about them." With a flash of her former grin, she said. "You're not a long lost prince are you?" Her mocking laughter cut through the roof beams, her eyes sparkling majestically under her brown eyebrows.

Again he smiled. It was going to be more difficult to tell her if she was going to be cracking jokes the whole time.

Seeing him harden, she let go of his hands and interlaced her fingers together. "I'm the one needing answers, and you're the one asking questions."

He nodded and began. "My birth parents weren't from Kansas; they were from very far away." His eyes got hard as he continued to stare at her. When she nodded for him to continue, he did. "I'm not really sure how to put this Lois, I've never told anyone this before."

"What do you mean?" She asked softly, realizing she was almost a scared as he was. His pausing and anxiousness was rubbing off on her and it was unsettling.

"My parents know, and Chloe."

"Chloe?" Lois asked in surprise, her eyes scanning his for any sign of regret. "Please explain some more Clark. This evasive conversation is getting on my nerves."

He nodded and stood up suddenly. Sticking his hands into his pockets, he walked to the barn window and peered outside. "Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to have sex with an alien?" He asked. He would take a different route. It was a serious moment, but Lois seemed to be in a playful mood.

Completely astounded with his question, she stared at his back as he peered out to the countryside. It took her a few moments to get over the initial shock of his question, but once she did, she was incredibly intrigued. "I don't know." She began. "I don't even know if aliens exist."

Clark smiled as he continued to peer out the loft window, his eyes scanning the farm. "They do Lois. I promise you they do."

His words once again astounded her. His voice was filled with conviction and wherewithal. He seemed so confident about it, as if he knew it for a fact. "How could you know that Clark? My father is a general and he's told me there's no such thing."

Shrugging his shoulders, he said. "How big do you think the universe is Lois? Do you honestly believe that out there lies nothing but emptiness and gaseous planets" Can you truthfully tell yourself that there isn't some sort of extraterrestrial intelligence out there?"

Mightily confused, she got up to her feet and walked up beside him. "What's with all the questions Clark, are you trying to tell me something important or are you just playing with me?"

Looking over at her, he smiled softly, trying desperately to relieve the butterflies in his stomach. "What if I told you have had sex with an intelligent being from another planet, how would you react?"

Lois frowned at him again, but thought of an answer. It seemed oddly rhetorical, but she indulged in his strange game. "First I'd wonder how he got me into bed in the first place."

"What if I told you he had you in a car?" He asked with a soft smile. He could see by the knit of her brow that she wasn't quite sure where he was going.

"A car?" Lois asked softly, looking at him with large eyes. "How would that happen?"

"He admitted he had feelings for you and you jumped him." A small grin split his lips as he saw her struggle back and forth from intrigue to confusion. He knew that inside her head she was having trouble grasping his questions. If she would have stopped for one second she would have caught on to where he was going, but it was Lois, she never thought things out. She was one to grasp for answers left and right, thinking her best chances at solving a mystery were going outside the box for them.

Lois had no idea where he was going, but she was caught up in his questions. They pulled at her mind like nothing else, their weight have bore down on her and confusing her like never before. "Okay, if I did that, what would happen next?"

"You'd get caught by the sheriff, but given only a warning because you're cuter than a button." He bopped her on the nose with his thumb, making sure she understood. If she didn't get it, he would begin having second thoughts about just how smart he thought she was.

It took a second, but her eyes suddenly went wide in realization. Her mouth hung agape as she stared up at him. Her tongue threatened to fall back into her throat, but she tilted her head to the side to keep herself from falling unconscious. "You mean? You're an-Oh my god!" She exclaimed.

"That's right Lois, you had sex with a person from another galaxy." His words came out soft and rushed, but he felt the butterflies in his stomach slowly begin to disappear. Even with telling Lois the truth, he knew she could handle it. Well, by her wide eyes he couldn't be sure at the moment, but he knew she would eventually.

Lois looked right at him, her eyes drifting up and down his body to try and find anything wrong with him. Her boyfriend was an alien, and the shock had her looking for green tentacles and big bug eyes. "So, you're not really from around here?" She asked softly, her eyes finally falling on his as he smiled weakly.

"No." He replied helplessly, his attention keenly transfixed on her hazel-blue orbs.

With a shaky hand, she reached out and grabbed one of his large hands, lifting it. She stared at it for a second and said. "But you can't be Clark, you look so human."

"I know."

"Then you're not an Alien." She said suddenly.

"What?" He asked, blinking and shaking his head in confusion. "I just told you that I was from another planet, and you're telling me you don't think I'm an alien? I'm the definition of alien."

She shook her head and let go of his hand. "No Clark. You're not an alien. An alien is green and looks like an oversized bug. You, you look completely human."

"But I'm not." He said.

"Yes you are Smallville. An alien doesn't know what human emotions are, nor do they know how to speak our language. You do, and that makes you human."

Clark, still confused by her explanation, frowned. "I'm not understanding."

"It's like this." She began. "You're from another planet, but you look human. It comes down to the definition of what human is. I really hate having to explain this." She said seriously.

Clark smiled weakly and nodded. "I think I know what you mean." He said.

She lifted her head and smiled. "You do?"

"No." He replied, laughing. When she smiled at him even wider, he melted. "I may not understand it, but I just want you to know that I love you with all my heart. Well, with what all my extraterrestrial heart can handle. I don't really know the specifics, but I guess I am capable of love-."

He was babbling, and she was tired of it. She interrupted him with a hard kiss. Breaking apart, she smiled as she leaned her forehead against his nose. ""You're capable of it, probably even more so than any other person on this earth."

"Oh I don't know." He said back with a sarcastic tone. "I think I've met someone who has a heart just as big as mine." He deftly swept her into a tight hug, his fears and petty thoughts of rejection finally disappearing like the early morning fog.

"Do you know where you're from?" She asked against his chest, her ear placed tight up against his heart.

"Krypton." He replied. When she pulled away from his embrace and looked at him oddly, he asked. "What?"

"That's a strange word, but I think Chloe said something like it earlier. Krypto-night I believe?"

He smiled and nodded. "It's Kryptonite." He supplied.

"What is it?"

"The green meteor rocks are Kryptonite. They are pieces of my home world that came with me during the meteor shower." His smile evaporated as he spoke of his only weakness.

"You came with the meteor shower?" She asked in surprise. When he nodded, she continued. "So that means you had a spaceship?"

Clark nodded, but said. "I did, but it was destroyed a few years ago."

There was something painful that passed across his eyes as he spoke. She was about to prod further, but what she saw held her mouth shut. After a few moments of silent staring, she finally managed to say something else. "So, does being from another planet have any other advantages? I know this is Smallville, home of the weird, and since this kryptonite changes people, that means there has to be something different about you too."

He swallowed hard at her presumption. Lois wasn't stupid; she was quite intelligent when she needed to be. "Yes, but unlike so many of the people affected by them, they make me sick."

"How do you mean?"

He turned back to the window and sighed, resting his hands on the edge. "They are lethal to me. I don't really know why, but if I'm around them they make me sick, and can eventually kill me if I'm exposed to them for too long."

"Wow." She answered.

"Indeed. But that's not all." When she looked at him, he smiled weakly and turned his back against the opening of the window. Softly, he sat down on the edge and said. "Push me out the window."

"W-what?" She asked in absolute confusion.

"Push me."

She was about to say something about how stupid he was, but the glinting humor in his eye told her something. "You're not going to get hurt, are you?" She asked, her eyes going wide.

Clark shrugged and smiled. "You'll have to push me to see for yourself."

A Lane never backed down from a challenge, even if it was to voluntarily push a lover over a window and to the ground three stories below. "Okay, but if you die, I'm spiting you forever."

"Deal." He grinned.

With a small laugh, she nudged him. Her head peaked out and down from the window as she watched him fall to the earth, his grin still firmly in place. A hand went to her mouth just in case she would be surprised, but as she expected, he landed firmly on his back and made a large dent in the ground. Smiling, she looked down, but he had disappeared from view. "Wha-?"

"Looking for me?" Clark asked.

She turned around in shock. He was sitting on the couch again; an ankle draped over one knee as he grinned wildly. "Fast too?" She got out a second later, still gaping at him.

He nodded and smiled innocently. "Among other things."

She walked over towards him.

Clark picked up on the sway of her hips and the sultry look in her eyes. Whatever pride he had felt a second ago had disappeared as soon as she made her way towards him. He may have had special abilities, but she could take them away with nothing but her stare. He gulped loudly as he let his foot drop off his knee.

Lois gently sat herself on one of his knees and slid down its angle shape. She came to a rest on his lap, her right knee planted firmly against his groin. A smile split her lips as she felt him harden.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"What's it look like?"

Clark picked up on the passion in her voice, the pure seduction that seemed to be radiating off of her. "It's not even noon yet." He stammered.

"So?" She asked, leaning forward and kissing his neck tenderly.

"What about what I just told you?"

"What about it?" She asked. Trailing her lips up to his chin, she felt him moan in her mouth as she captured his lips.

"Don't you find it frightening? Are you not scared that I might hurt you?"

She pulled back from him for a second to say. "I love you Clark, that's what matters."

She went towards his lips again, but he pushed her away. "I wish it were that simple." He said softly.

"It is." She replied, finally wiggling herself from his hands and kissing him again. When he pulled away, she sighed heavily. "What is it?"

"Don't you have anything to say?" When she glared at him with arched eyebrows, he continued. "Aren't you going to chastise me about lying to you for so long?"

"No Smallville, I'm not. I understand what it's like to have to hide your true self from others. For the first time in my life I'm allowing myself to be who I really want to be, and you bring that out in me Clark. You make everything seem right, and I would not risk losing that."

"Me either." He replied breathlessly, her lips suddenly crashing onto hers.

Lois bit her lip and pulled back suddenly. "There is one thing though."

"What?" He asked, his dread slowly creeping back.

"I am angry at you about one thing." When he asked what about, she grinned wildly at him and adjusted herself by draping her other leg over him. She was now straddling his lap completely. "After your little display of speed, It means that you've been holding back, and I don't appreciate that."

"What?" He asked.

"Don't play stupid with me Smallville, you know what I mean. In the shower, in the car, you weren't giving it one hundred percent were you?"

His eyes went wide as she smiled evilly. "I didn't know if I would hurt you or not." He said in defense.

"Isn't that sweet?" She mocked. "From now on you don't hold back." When he looked away, she grabbed his chin and made sure he could see the intensity in her eyes. "You got that Smallville?"

"Yes ma'am." He smiled back, taking her lips once again.

-

Chloe sat on the porch swing, Shelby lying beside her at her feet. She wondered how well things were going between Clark and Lois. There was no doubt in her mind that her cousin would take it well, but still, she was as curious as always. The squeak of the screen door ripped her from her thoughts, bringing her head around to see who the person was. She smiled slightly as she saw both Victor and Katherine exit.

"Good morning." Kat said, Victor nodding his own greeting.

"Good morning." Chloe replied. She didn't know what to make of the couple before her. She knew Victor's secret from Clark's earlier encounter with he man, but she had trouble getting a handle on his girlfriend. She was quite a woman it seemed, someone who might be able to even take Lois down if it came to it. "Are you two heading back to Metropolis already?"

Victor shook his head as he leaned up against the porch railing. "No, Clark and I have some things to discuss, and I'm sure the police will be around at some point to get our statement as to what happened."

Kat smiled at Chloe and asked. "Have you heard anything about anyone else getting hurt?"

Chloe nodded sadly. "I just got off the phone with the local paper and they said that Clark's date, Abby, was wounded by a gunshot."

"How is she?" Victor asked.

"She's in stable condition. The bullet just missed her spine, but shattered her pelvis."

"Ouch." Kat said with a wince. "I guess we should take some comfort in the fact that she didn't die."

"There is that." Chloe replied. "If she had died, we'd have a heck of a mess on our hands."

"It's already going to be a mess." Victor stated, crossing arms across his green t-shirt. "Let's just hope that people don't get too curious. The last thing we need is people digging for both Clark's and my secret."

Chloe gave them a warm assuring smile. "Here in Smallville things tend to get passed over rather quickly. Strange things happen all the time, and people usually turn a blind eye because of fright or repetition."

Victor shook his head. "I still have trouble believing that though. This may not be Metropolis, but I still have a horrible feeling about everything."

Kat grabbed his hand and rubbed it softly. "Of course you do honey, you held a woman in your arms as she died. If that didn't affect you in someway, you wouldn't be human." She smiled at him.

"I'm only about fifty percent human." He joked, lightening the tension that had settled over them.

"Fifty-fifty is good enough for me." Kat replied, kissing him lightly.

Chloe watched the two of them, jealousy settling in. She wondered if one day she would meet someone who she could share her love with. Kat and Victor, Lois and Clark, and even Mr. and Mrs. Kent, they all made her depressed. She wanted to be happy like them.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

He lost himself in her mouth, his eyes closing slowly as her tongue maneuvered its way around his mouth. The ever growing bulge in his pants was putting incredible pressure on his jeans. It would certainly push through in a few seconds if he didn't unzip them. Lois's hand found his crotch, and as she gripped him, he moaned hoarsely, his eyes opening and rolling into the top of his head in pleasure. "Lois," he groaned.

His pleasure was cut off instantly by a loud siren. His eyelids snapped open as he stopped moving. "Lois," he said again, but with a worrisome tone.

"What?" she mumbled, her lips still firmly fused with his.

"Police."

"Huh?" She pulled back suddenly, only to be greeted with two very hard eyes. "What about the police?"

Clark gently lifted her from his leg and stood up. The sirens got closer as he attuned his hearing. They were at the farm already.

Lois heard them, her back stiffening suddenly. "What do you think they want?"

"I'm not sure," Clark said, walking to the stairs with Lois's hand firmly tucked in his own. "Let's go see."

Pulling back, she tried to stop him. "What if they want to know about last night?"

"I think that's exactly why they're here. We didn't do anything wrong, and I'm sure they're just here to see if we know anything. I was Abby's date, remember?" When Lois's eyebrows sunk, he squeezed her hand and walked her down the loft stairs. "Don't worry, everything will be okay."

Lois put on a smile. "You're right," she said, trying desperately to reassure herself. Clark let go of her hand as they slipped out the side of the barn and into the driveway. She heard a single siren blast.

Clark eyed the police car as it came to stop, mere inches from him as dust kicked wildly in the air. Sheriff Adams stepped out of the driver's side as Deputy Morales came out of the passenger door. "Sheriff," he said, acknowledging her with a nod.

"Mr. Kent," she said pointedly.

"What can I do for you?" He felt Lois press up closer to him. By the beat of her heart, he could tell she was nervous.

"Something wrong Miss Lane?"

Lois felt like shrinking behind Clark, but she steeled herself. "No, I'm fine." The Sheriff's eyes lingered on her as she fought the urge to curse at the woman. The gaze was not only unsettling, but disrespectful.

Deputy Morales stepped forward as Clark eyed his parents coming out of the house and towards them. Kat, Victor and Chloe stood on the porch, their eyes keenly fixed on them.

"I'm sure you heard about what happened last night?" Morales asked.

"Yes," Clark replied, squinting slowly.

"Then you know that young girl is in the hospital?"

He nodded again, his drifting to his parents as they finally made there to them.

"What's going on, Sheriff?" Jonathon asked.

Sheriff Adam's walked up beside Deputy Morales and said. "We have a young girl in critical condition, and we understand that your son was her date. We would just like to ask him some questions."

Jonathon's gaze drifted to his son, who nodded with a reassuring, but weak smile.

"Clark, do you know anything about what happened last night?" Morales asked, resting his hands on the front of his belt.

"Not a lot," Clark responded, looking to his parents and then to Lois. When his eyes drifted back to Deputy Morales, he shrugged. "I remember getting knocked out and then everything went hazy. The next thing I knew I was back here."

Sheriff Adam's squinted as she motioned to the black car by the house. "Is that your car, Mr. Kent?"

Clark looked at Victor on the porch. "No."

"Whose is it?"

"A friends." He looked back to the Sheriff, who was directing the Deputy to go inspect the car.

"What are you doing?" Jonathon asked, stepping in front of the Deputy to block his path.

"I suggest you step aside," said the Sheriff as she walked away from Clark and towards the elder Kent's. "We have witnesses saying that they saw that car speed away from Main Street just after the second gunshot."

Clark stepped forward. "My friend found me unconscious and drove me back here."

"Yes, but we also found a good amount of blood and another set of tired skids in the middle of intersection. Can you explain those?"

Clark watched as the Deputy went around his father and opened Victor's car door. His eyes went right to his friend, who was beginning to step down the porch steps. Walking around his parents and leaving Lois behind, he went over to the Deputy as he began to rummage through the front seat of the vehicle.

"Sheriff?" Deputy Morales asked as he lifted a gun out of the vehicle and held it in the air. "It's a match to the bullet they extracted from the girl at the hospital."

Clark stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes lifted to the upraised weapon. He quickly glanced at Victor, who had also stopped moving. He didn't know what to say.

"Is that your car?" Sheriff Adam's asked, pushing her way to the Deputy as she looked behind him to the dark skinned man.

Victor nodded.

Adam's pulled out a plastic bag and took the gun from the Deputy, putting it in a sealing it up tight. "Arrest him," She said calmly, indicating towards Victor.

"Wait!" Clark said hurriedly, stepping forward to get in-between Victor and the officer. "This is just a big misunderstanding."

"Then we can sort it out at the station, but right now we need to take your friend into custody," the deputy replied.

Clark knew he couldn't do anything else. He turned as the man stepped passed him and cuffed Victor. "I'm sorry, Victor."

"Sorry about what?" he asked as the cuffs were slipped over his wrists behind his back. "You and I both know I didn't shoot anyone, I wasn't even there when she was shot."

"I suggest you be quiet, sir," Sheriff Adam's said as she grabbed onto the man's right arm and helped guide him to the cruiser.

Clark stared at in shock as he watched Victor get herded into the back seat of the cop car, the door slamming shut soundly. He felt the urge to blurt out everything that had happened, but he would do it later at the police station.

"I expect you at the station so that we can get to the bottom of this," Adam's said, looking at the younger Kent.

"Of course, Sheriff," Jonathon replied for his son, who had his eyes transfixed on the police car. The Sheriff tipped her hat and disappeared into the cop car with the Deputy.

Clark stood as rigid as stone, his eyes not once leaving the vehicle as it pulled out of the driveway and down the road, its lights flashing, but the siren silent.

"Clark?" Martha asked, putting a hand on his arm.

"I have some thinking to do," Clark said suddenly, walking past Lois and towards the barn. When he heard Lois start to walk after him, he said. "Alone, please."

Lois stopped dead in her pursuit and watched as Clark disappeared into the barn. Her eyes threatened to tear up, but she bit them back. Clark needed some time to think, and she would let him, but everything had suddenly become so much more complicated.

"Let's go inside," Jonathon remarked, slipping his arm around his wife's shoulder and guiding her towards the dwelling.

"Lois?" Martha asked over her shoulder as she stared at the young woman.

"I'll be there in a second," Lois replied, her back to them as she continued to stare at the barn. She wanted desperately to go after Clark, but he had asked to be alone. Clark wasn't one to sugar coat things, so he must have really wanted to be alone. She felt a hand go to her shoulder as she stood rigidly.

"Lois?" Kat asked.

"Yeah?"

"Come on, let's go inside."

Lois turned around and stared at Kat. "I don't know how you're taking this so well. I see Clark getting angry at himself and it tears me apart, but you're acting calm, especially since your boyfriend was just arrested for attempted murder."

Kat shrugged as she walked with Lois back to the house. "I know Victor didn't shoot anyone. I believe-no, I know he'll be proven innocent. It's only a matter of time."

"I wish I had your optimism."

Kat smiled weakly. "You don't know him like I do, Lois. He's much like Clark. He would never take a life, even if that meant revealing his abilities."

"Abilities?" Lois asked in wonder.

"Yes. There is some explaining to do," Kat replied with a small smile.


End file.
